180 Days of Donna
by AnonymousDH
Summary: WIP! - "Promise me, we'll stay like this." His entire body tenses up. Her words. Making him swallow once, loudly. Like this. But right now they're nothing. They're friends, best friends even, but it's not enough. [DARVEY] AU HIGHSCHOOL FIC - includes most of the #Suits characters
1. Chapter 1 - The Transfer Student

**Hi everyone. Starting a new AU fic here, Darvey in highschool. I've been wanting to do this for a very long time and originally I wanted it to be in a different time period, but after much consideration (mostly things I wanted to mention that couldn't have happened then) I decided that it's just happening in the present time. This fic will have 12 (if I planned it correctly*) chapters, and as you just read most of it is planned out. Anyway, here's the first chapter of my take on a Darvey in highschool fic. I hope you'll enjoy it :) and maybe leave a review.**

*Spoiler; I didn't.

* * *

A guy and a girl can be just friends,

but at one point or another, they will fall for each other.

Maybe temporarily, maybe at the wrong time,

maybe too late, or maybe forever.

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **CHAPTER 1: THE TRANSFER STUDENT**

* * *

"Promise me, we'll stay like this."

His entire body tenses up. Her words. Making him swallow once, loudly, but he doesn't think she noticed it. Not like how he notices every single thing about this moment. About her. The way his arm is lying right beside hers, the way his head is tilted backwards as he looks at the sky. Afraid to meet her eye.

The way she rests next to him, together on the roof of the garages between their two houses. A warmth radiating from her hand to his, but he can't hold hers. It's not his place to do so. He notices the way the skin around her eyes crinkle when she smiles, he notices the way his heart skips a beat every time she laughs and he notices how much he didn't want to hear those words.

 _Like this._

Because right now, they're nothing.

Friends, best friends even, but not enough. Not what he wanted deep down.

"Harvey."

He hears her whispers after a minute of silence from his side and he lets out another breath. Turning his head to the right he looks her in the eye for a second. "Why?" he asks then, not sure why she was asking this of him.

It's her turn to swallow when he looks away again. "Because," she sighs, lifting herself up until she wraps her arms around her legs, her chin resting on her arms. "In a month our last year will start, Harvey." She pauses, looking over her left shoulder in his direction for a few seconds before she stares in the distance again. "You'll probably get a baseball scholarship and move away to this college on the other side of the country and I … I'll probably still be here. We only have 180 days left."

The sadness in her voice is another thing that doesn't go unnoticed to him. He's always been able to detect it. Most people think it's only Donna that can read people and for the largest part they're right but he can read her, but in his defence; they have been best friends for the longest part of their lives. Twelve years.

"Donna," he murmurs, a small smile plastered on his lips. He wants to tell her so much and not just how she will become the best actress New York has ever seen, but more. How he doesn't want to stay like this, because twelve years of this has been challenging enough. "180 days?" he repeats, not sure what she meant with that number.

"180 school days," she smiles looking over her shoulder at him again. "180 days of what we're used to. Going to school together, lunch on the bleachers, you forgetting your combination and having use my locker," she laughs. "180 days."

He grins, but is still confused as he looks at her. "You do realise we live next door right? There are weekends, holidays and basically we won't go to college in over a year. So it's actually more than 365 days."

She gives him a faint smile. "Please," she whispers, "just this. You and me. Us." She pauses looking in the distance again, not further explaining or defining her words or which variant of them she's referring to. "Promise me we'll always be like this."

He lets his mind drift off to the true meaning of her words and why she's asking this of him, but he nods slowly. Swallowing once before he whispers the only thing he's allowed to.

"I promise."

* * *

 **One month later, September 5** **th**

His leather jacket creaks as he leans back against the wooden chair. His legs stretched, ankles crossed the same way his arms are folded over his chest. His eyes rolling as the two giggling girls enter the glass room.

She swirls around swaying with her hips for god knows who and he raises his eyebrows as the two young women walked by him. The brunette upfront. "Zane," he nods as she walks past him leaving enough time for him to let his eyes fall on the redhead again.

She has this big smile on her red painted lips, her auburn locks high in ponytail, her hands buried in the pockets of her signature emerald jacket.

"Debbie," he smiles as she sits down in the chair in front of him, her feet kicking his legs making him lean forward his arms on his desk as he waits for her reply.

"It's Donna, doofus," she chirps looking at him over her shoulder before she turns to face the lecturer again.

"I know." His lips curl up and he shakes his head biting his tongue to stop him from laughing. It is the same answer his best friend always gives him.

Physics it is the most boring class as ever, the only reason he is able to keep his eyes open was the fact that she is sitting in front of him. He'd never admit it out loud, or to himself even. But it was. Her auburn locks the only thing he really paid attention too. The fact he got to drift away in the smell of her vanilla shampoo for an hour the only consolation for having to be in this room.

Five minutes in, he's lost in thought already. His eyes fixated on the way she twirls her hair around her left index finger. Her right hand swiftly taking notes, notes he knows she won't give him. Not at first that is, but his puppy eyes have proven to come in helpful more than once last school year.

A soft dab on his table making his eyes pop up again, instantly looking at hers. "Take your own notes," she whispers letting the pencil roll out of her hand and he catches it in one go.

"But I'm used to studying with yours," he leans forward again. Holding the pencil in front of her, his eye brows raised, he's challenging her.

She rolls her eyes her hand falling around his to stop him from wiggling around. "Write," she mumbles before turning around again, his fingers scraping her locks bound in the swinging ponytail, before he pulls his hand back.

He lets out a sigh.

.

His attention is broken once more as the door swings open. His head turns towards the right, but all he sees is a flash of blonde hair moving down and a loud noise when the owner of that hair obviously tripped over the threshold.

He tries to hold his laugh as the lecturer turns around, extending his hand as he helps the young lad back on his feet. The boy is adjusting his glasses, organising his books again. As he looks around the classroom, causing the girls to giggle.

"Aah the transfer student," the lecturer mumbles, and the boy nods. "Michael, uhm.. Mike Ross."

He sees her look around, she's biting her tongue. He knows she is, but she's got this look in her eyes he can't really place. He considers it to be something she does with Rachel. The two of them always had a language of their own. One even he as her best friend couldn't understand.

"Weirdo," he mumbles nearly inaudible, but not for her. She turns around giving him this disappointing look only she could as she shakes her head.

"Be nice," she nods before turning around again.

"Nice," he mumbles in a sigh as he moves his bag from the empty chair next to him signalling the transfer student that he could sit there.

If she wanted him to be nice, he could be nice.

"Thanks," the blonde geeky guy mumbles, causing him to roll his eyes this time. This was going to be one long class or semester for that matter.

.

He closes his books before the bell even rings. Folding the still empty piece of paper as he tabs the pencil on her shoulder. "Thanks," he smirks.

She presses her lips together as she takes in the look on his face. "Fine," she sighs sliding her notes towards him, "but I want them back at the end of the day."

The gang gathers around their tables. They're with nine of them, five guys and four girls. A group of friends, and occasionally more, since the beginning of high school. Just them even before that. The red head kisses Paula on the cheek, giving Scottie a Manhattan one over she lands under the arm of Mitchell.

"So," Tanner starts speaking, but soon he's interrupted by a cough. All heads turn towards his right, they circled the new boy in their little gang. Not even noticing he was still there.

"Uhm.. Hi.. I'm Mike," a squeaky voice pierces his ears but the boy is shut up as Logan pushes his books from the table, causing Louis and Scottie to laugh.

He's not really paying attention to the situation, his eyes constantly landing on how Mitchell's hand is tugging on the edge of her emerald hoodie, before the two of them turn around and walk away. Followed by the others.

"See you after practice?" Scotties voice waking him up from his thoughts again, before he feels her lips pressing a kiss against his cheek, his jaw clenching in response.

"Uhm.." he mumbles. "yeah.. Sure," he adds watching her walk away. He's still bothered by the way Mitchell was trying to hook up with Donna. Not that he knows if he really wants more, but she is his best friend. Always has been. Since they were little kids.

"Here Michael," he adds handing him one of the papers as he gets out of his own seat. His eyes landing on Rachel once more. "Zane," he mumbles waiting and she nods pulling her emerald jacket over her shoulder. Giving the boy a smile before she walks out of the class room next to Harvey.

"It's a shame he isn't part of the group," she mumbles looking away and he lets out a laugh. He might be part of it, but he never really cared about the group and their rules.

"So?" he shrugs his shoulders, not understanding the problem.

She stares at him like he's lost his mind, like he's forgotten who he is. Who they are. "You know us Pink ladies aren't allowed to date anyone besides you T-bird guys," she reasons then.

He frowns once more. "Are you seriously quoting Grease now?"

"You know Grease?" she counters one eyebrow raised, but she already knows the answer. Including the why he knows the movie.

"We're not like that," he continues, shaking his head. "And even if we were it's a bullshit reason," he counters, causing the small brunette to let out a sigh.

"You know it's not," she argues, "you're with Scottie ."

"I'm not with – "

"Donna's with Mitchell, Tanner and Paula," she shrugs. "And .. it's not like I'm going out with Logan or Louis," she cringes a little as they continue walking. "Anyway," the brunette mumbles as she turns to face him. "It's not fair that I can't date him because he's not part of our group."

"You just met him," Harvey answers emphasizing the just. "Besides who cares if he's –"

"The rest," she cuts him off once more. "Last year with Kyle Durant, Logan was all up in my face about how I couldn't do that," she speaks and Harvey opens his mouth to say that that had nothing to with a rule, but she continues with her speech.

"And it's not fair, it's like those stupid rules only applies to us girls. I mean I've seen you. You've basically hooked up with every girl in school. In fact," she pauses pointing at him and he wants to protest, but it's true. He's been with a lot of girls.

"Now that I think about it," she pauses, a nervous giggle escapes her lips. "You never dated anyone of us. Well Scottie maybe, but I mean you never even kissed any of us girls," her hands frantically moving around. He just stares at her for a second, feeling his breathing become heavier as he repeats her words in his mind. A particular girl coming to mind.

"Is that an invitation?" he jokes, mostly for himself to break his own thoughts as they continue walking to the exit.

She just laughs rolling her eyes at his words as he holds the door open for her. "I mean, you never even kissed Donna," she replies, stepping outside she continues walking. Not noticing how he freezes on his spot, his breath faltering and he just swallows.

He doesn't answer.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Girl Next Door

**Hi everyone! THANK YOU so much for all the reviews, follows and favs. Made my day. So today we had lots of good news from Korsh. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? OMG.. anyway, it made me finish this second chapter. I do feel it needs some sort of introduction. This is apart from the very last scene a flashback chapter, to give you some background information on how they are right now.**

 **With Suits having such a weird timeline all I'm going to say is that the first flashback takes place 12 years ago. And every time an xxx is placed, there's a time jump. But I didn't want to label as to how many years everything is with certain events, I want to leave that open to interpretation. Anyway.. Flashbacks over a time period of 12 years.**

 **I hope you enjoy it and maybe leave a review? x**

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **CHAPTER 2: THE GIRL NEXT DOOR**

* * *

"Harvey?" Lily's voice echoes through the hall way. "Harvey are you there?" Her hand softly taps against his bedroom door. The angry 'go away' of the seven year old boy covered by the noise of the four-year-old on her hip.

"Harvey get out of your room, now," she orders her attention already directed to the little boy in her arms. "I don't know what's wrong with your brother Marcus," she mumbles walking down the stairs again.

"What's wrong with my boy?" Gordon counters as he greets his wife. She kisses him on the cheek, telling him how Harvey hasn't left his room all afternoon.

He's hiding under his bed. His eyes fixated on the door, wishing for his mother to go away, but mostly he's wishing for his friend Teddy to come back. The boy who lived next door, his best friend. The one he always played baseball with whenever his father was away and his mother was too busy with his little brother. The boy that moved away.

He knew they were moving, but he didn't say goodbye because saying goodbye would make it real. Saying goodbye would mean they really left and his mother had always said they wouldn't leave without saying goodbye.

Hiding under his bed didn't stop them from leaving. Maybe he was naive, but he was only seven years old. He heard the door of the car slam close, the sound of the engine starting and he just managed to see the tail lights in the distance as he climbed on his bed to look out of the window.

He didn't say goodbye.

"Harvey?"

He hears the voice of his father now. It's filled with concern, different from the annoyance clearly noticeable in his mother's voice, but he doesn't crawl out of his bed yet. "I'm not here," he closes his eyes letting his head rest on his small arms, realising his mistake as his father chuckles on the other side of the door, followed by the sound of the creaking doorframe and a ray of light enters his room. He hears his father walk through his bedroom, probably playing along as he already knows where his little boy is hiding.

"Harvey?" he mumbles kneeling down next to the bed, his hand running through the sun-kissed locks until Harvey looks up to his old man.

"It's not fair," he argues, "they left."

"I know," Gordon presses his lips together in a small smile, signalling for the boy to come.

Reluctantly Harvey crawls out from under the bed, settling himself down on top of it with his arms crossed. A frown on his face as he stares at the floor.

"A new family will move in the day after tomorrow," Gordon reassures his son. "I know they have a daughter of your age. I bet you'll be friends."

Harvey rolls his eyes. "Girls don't like baseball," he sticks his tongue out before he lets himself fall back on his bed. "I don't like girls."

Gordon shakes his head hiding his smile, already knowing how misplaced his son's statement will be in a few years, not realising it would be a few days in reality. He lets his hand brush over his sons head. "Maybe this girl will like baseball."

"As if."

"Just promise me you'll be nice when they show up, Harvey," Gordon tells him as he walks back to the door. "You'll never know. She might be your new best friend," he adds looking over his shoulder before he leaves the boy alone in his room.

.

He doesn't want to meet them, he doesn't want to leave his house or room for that matter but his mother has called for him four times now. He can even hear his father's footsteps on the stairs, bound to step inside his room in any second.

"Harvey." Gordon enters and he turns around, sitting on the edge of his bed with his arms crossed.

"I don't want to," he mumbles.

His father sighs a little. Gordon doesn't speak, instead, all he does is extend his hand. Patiently waiting for his son's hand to finally catch his.

He follows his father downstairs where they meet with the rest of the family. His face cringing a little as his mother's hand slips through his hair, until she announces that they're ready. He wonders why they have to meet the new neighbours now. They're still unpacking. He's seen that from his window.

His hands buried in the pocket of his jeans he stumbles down the four concrete steps, jumping off the last one until he lands on the sidewalk. He watches his father shake the other man's hand, he catches a glimpse of the name but he already doesn't remember it.

He hears his mother introduce them all, his father's hand on his back he takes two steps forward until he too can greet the new people. He doesn't like to admit it but they do look nice. He looks up to his mother, hearing her talk to the redheaded lady about his school. He sees the other man starting to nod.

"Our daughter will go there as well," the other man speaks looking over his shoulder to the car. "Honey," he calls. "Come out and meet our new neighbours."

Impatiently Harvey rocks back and forth on his feet as they're now waiting for a girl who's name starts with a D, but once more he didn't really pay attention. All he wants was to be playing baseball now. Or some other game with his younger brother.

His head slowly lifts as two shiny black shoes with flowers come into his sight, followed by a dress in the same colour and finally long vibrant auburn locks cascading over her shoulders, just like the older woman he just greeted. She's standing behind her father, her hands holding onto the man's shirt. She smiles softly but she doesn't speak and neither does he as their parents are still speaking.

"Can I go now," he whines, his hand pulling on his father's arm.

"Sure," Gordon sighs. "But take your brother with you," he puts the little boy on the ground. Apologizing to their new neighbours as the boys run off.

.

She follows the man she just met inside the house next to her own. Her hands on her back, her head held high she looks around. Taking in her surroundings she just listens and nods to her new neighbour. Stepping into the room her head turning to the right she sees the two boys she's met earlier sitting on the couch.

Turning her head again, she looks around once more. Still somewhat nervous because this isn't anything like the place she lived before her parents moved to New York. Her eyes scanning the paintings on the wall she stares at something that looks like a duck for a second before her gaze lands on the object below it.

A piano.

Suddenly her lips curl up and her feet take more determined steps until she stops right in front of it. Her hand moving over the edge, she presses some keys as she remembers her dad telling her they couldn't bring their piano to the new house.

Harvey frowns as his brother pokes his arms once more. "Marcus, stop," he mumbles as he tries to focus on the show, his gaze landing on the redhead for a second before he looks at his father again. "Marcus," he mumbles once more as the boy continues pulling his shirt.

"Debbie," the four-year-old smiles. "Deb... Debbie," he mumbles again, causing his older brother to frown once more.

"Marcus, "Harvey turns around. "What are you talking about?" he mumbles pulling his flannel shirt from his brother's hands, who repeats the name once more as he points at their father.

Gordon smiles as he watches the girl play some chords on the piano, he turns to face his sons. "Boys," he calls for them. "Come say hi," he signals them to come over.

Harvey looks at the redhead again, realising her name started with the letter D.

"Harvey," Gordon starts pointing at the girl again. "This is –"

"Debbie," the almost seven-year-old answers, shaking the girl's hand.

His father frowns and the redhead giggles. "It's Donna," she smiles, removing her hand from his.

He gives his brother an angry look.

"And this is Marcus, my youngest," Gordon speaks again before he runs after the four-year-old.

"Do you play?" she asks then.

Harvey looks back up, seeing her point at the piano. "No," he shakes his head. "You do?" he asks.

She smiles brightly, answering a 'yes' at first before she looks down. "No," she mumbles then. "Not anymore."

xxx

He runs over to the picnic table in the garden. "Would this work?" he asks looking over his shoulder at her.

She nods. "Yeah I think so," she answers as she studies the object for a second. "But we need papers and stuff," she continues as they walk back inside, Marcus following them around. Donna runs off to the living room, returning with an old newspaper she notices how he's holding a kitchen towel in his hands. "What's that for?" she inquires as she watches him fold the object around the collar of his shirt.

"Now I look like a judge," he smiles proudly making her laugh.

"Well, you do need the uhm… Hammer thingie," she answers, unable to find the word.

He hums, looking around the kitchen before he grabs something from the counter. "Tada," he smiles and she frowns.

"That's a can opener," she mumbles. "Not a – "

"You wanted to do this play," he counters raising his hands in the air.

"Yeah," she fires back, her hand falling around his to stop him from swinging around with the can opener. "Because just playing baseball is boring," she answers, pulling the can opener from his grip.

"No it isn't," he sighs holding his hand up as he waits for her to give it back.

"What?" she mumbles, staring at him.

"I'm the judge, not you."

xxx

He's not creative. He doesn't like making things. He doesn't like doing crafts, but he likes her. The redhead sitting at the table across from his the only reason he didn't protest to Mrs Norma's assignment. Making cards for Valentine's Day.

" _You can give it to someone you like. Or your parents or your best friend."_

He's got no clue what he's doing, maybe he's even copying what she does. Drawing a heart on a red piece of paper, but he stops there. One heart's enough, he's not going to fill the entire piece of paper just like she does. The felt tip pen resting in his hand he wonders if he should write something, but when she looks in his direction he drops the pen.

An hour later Harvey watches Raoul walk to their group of tables. Handing the redhead a card he sees her blush and smile before she reaches for the card on her own desk, handing it back to the other boy. "This is for you," he hears her whisper and all he can do is swallow, hiding the card he made in his backpack.

.

A frown grows on Gordon's forehead when he opens the front door and the boy storms inside immediately. Running up the stairs without saying anything, the older man knows something is wrong when he hears the door fall shut with a loud bang mere seconds later.

Following his son upstairs he knocks on the door, which is immediately followed by the standard 'go away' of the young man. "Harvey," Gordon tries again as he steps inside, noticing his son pushing something in the bin before he sits down on his bed. "What's going on?" Gordon asks as he kneels down on the ground.

"Nothing," Harvey murmurs folding his arms over his chest.

His father lets out a sigh as he reaches for the red piece of paper. "Does it have anything to do with this," Gordon asks and Harvey shakes his head once more. "Harvey," his father asks. "Who's Debbie?"

xxx

She closes her eyes, throwing her head back she enjoys the early summer sun. Her arms leaning on the top of the picnic table, her legs hanging over the bench she smiles. Still beaming because she got the lead in the next school play. An opportunity she's been hoping to get since a very long time. Slowly opening her eyes when the sun gets blocked she sees him standing there. "Harvey," she smiles as he steps aside.

"Ice cream," he rather states than asks as he hands her a cone with chocolate ice cream.

"Ooh yum," she mumbles, taking it from his hand. "Why?" she whispers next.

"I heard you got the part," he replies sitting down next to her. "Congrats."

"Thanks," she whispers looking down.

"Hey," his shoulder bumps into hers. "What's wrong. I thought you'd be happy," he comments studying the redhead's face.

"I am," she nods turning to face him. "It's just… I'm nervous for this part," she mumbles then.

"You?" he comments taking a bite of his ice cream in the meantime.

"Nah, never mind," she focusses on the cone in her hand instead.

"Donna," he looks at her again. "You can tell me. You know that right?" he mumbles and she gives him a smile.

"Yeah, I know," she agrees, taking another bite of her ice cream.

"So?" he pushes. "What's the problem?"

She lets out a sigh. "Okay, I'll tell you," she pauses and looks at him again. "But only if you promise not to laugh."

He crooks his head, turning to face her even more. "I promise," he answers.

"Okay," she swallows. "So uhm... At the end of the play, I... I have to kiss the male lead."

He hums, waiting for her to continue.

"And I.. I never kissed someone. I just.. Is it hard?" she mumbles then.

"What?" he whispers, questioning her face.

"Is it hard," she repeats. "I mean you've kissed a girl before. Is it hard?"

He shakes his head, moving closer. "Look," he whispers and she frowns a little as he leans towards her.

"What –"

The rest of her question being left unpronounced as his lips brush against hers. It only lasts a few seconds, but a few seconds too long for it to be just a peck on the lips. For it just to show her it's not that hard. That it isn't a big deal, but maybe it is.

They both look away after it happened, a few seconds of silence following before he finally finds his voice again. "So.. uhm, " he mumbles if only he could find the words. "See that... Uhm. It's not that hard," he finishes his sentence lifting himself back on his feet. "So now you've got nothing to be nervous about," he tries to smile as he walks away again.

Her lips are still left agape when he disappears. Her eyes close again as she's trying to wrap her brain around what just happened. No kissing the male lead in the school play wasn't going to be a problem, forgetting about this moment, however, that just might be.

xxx

Dropping his duffle bag with baseball gear on the floor he climbs the stairs with two steps at a time. Just before reaching his door, a "mom I'm home," on the tip of his tongue he hears the bathroom door open behind him and he slowly turns around.

The sight making him stop in his tracks and his eyes widen as he takes in Bobby from down the street buttoning his shirt, his mother stepping out of the room next to it. All he sees is how her hair is still a mess and how she's working on her outfit too.

"H.. Harvey," she mumbles, but all he can do is shake his head, slowly taking two steps back until he reaches the stairs again. "Harvey, wait," his mother calls again as the young man rushes down the stairs. "Wait. I made a mistake," she begs again, her hands trying to reach for his shirt but he's faster.

"Don't you touch me," he moves his shoulder away.

"You don't understand," she argues, and he turns around with his sweater in his hand.

"I understand you made a fool out of dad for the last time," he fires back as he sees that man now coming down the stairs. His feet carry him to the phone on the wall in the hallway.

"Harvey, listen to me," she tries again.

"No," he answers, his left hand snatching the phone, his mother pushes her hand on top of the machine.

"You don't know what you're doing," she tries to stop him.

"I know exactly what I'm doing," he answers looking at her.

"Harvey," she starts again, her eyes pleading. "Think about what it would do to your father. To Marcus. It will kill them," her head is shaking, she begging him, but it's no point.

"You said that once before and you'd never do this again," he fires back.

"I know what I said," her words directly followed by his again.

"And I said if you did I'd tell him everything and I'm going to," he walks away from her again.

"Harvey I'm begging you," she runs after him once more. "Don't tear us all to pieces. Don't destroy your family."

"Don't you dare put this shit on me," he answers firmly before storming outside, slamming the front door behind him.

She hurries herself over to the window, she could hear the arguing going on in the house next door. Not the words, but she could recognise his voice, she could hear the doors slam and now she sees him pacing around on the sidewalk. Kicking a bin in the process

She wants to call for him, but she also knows that right now it's no point. That right now he's too pissed off, even for her to break through to him. And she knows it's a lost cause when she sees the guy from down the street storm out of the house, his mom following and the look he gives them both.

She also knows that she isn't supposed to see this, that she isn't part of whatever is happening right now. That making herself known isn't going to help in any way. She notices how his mood is off the next day at school, she notices he's quiet and edgier than usual. She wants to talk to him, but bringing up something she shouldn't know about and honestly doesn't know about is hard. She just hopes he knows that she's there if and when he wants to talk.

.

He isn't a talker, but what he saw is eating him up inside. It isn't the first time this happened and that makes it even worse. The initial time he was too young to understand the specifics, but that bad feeling had never truly left.

His chest feels heavy because the never thought that the woman he loved so much could betray not just his father but him as well. How a woman that should have been there for him no matter what could make him question everything that's ever happened to him in his life.

 _What's a promise worth? Am I really able to trust people or are they in the end all like her? Will it hurt me less if I don't let people in anymore? Do I need to worry about those that already got in? Why am I the one to have to carry this burden on my own? Do I have to keep this to myself or do I tell him like I said I would? It's the right thing to do, isn't it? Why didn't he know? Why couldn't he see what was happening right under his nose?_

 _Why doesn't he notice I haven't talked to her over dinner? Why doesn't he notice that it's eating me up inside? Why doesn't he see she's putting up a facade? Why did he have to invite the very man that ruined this all into our house?_

"Lily," his father's voice breaks his thoughts. "Do you have enough for an extra plate?"

He looks up, suddenly feeling sick. "Don't worry about an extra plate, he can have mine," he mumbles walking back up the stairs.

"Harvey," both his parents call after him, but he locks the door behind him.

His hands on his head he lets out a muffled scream. Dropping on his bed he waits for dinner to be over, only getting up when he hears the front door open and close again. He wonders when the silence downstairs will be replaced by fighting, but it doesn't happen.

.

The tension between them the next morning is unbearable and he finally can't take it anymore. Pushing himself up from the dining room table, he grabs his boxing stuff and he hurries outdoors. When his father confronts him an hour later in the boxing ring he snaps.

As much as he's asking his father to let it go, he can't stop himself from fighting back. When the older man's fist hits his jaw and he asks what his mother is doing, it's just one word. One name that leaves his lips. "Bobby," he shouts back, throwing his hands in the air before he turns himself around. Fighting the anger inside of him.

.

Turning over another page of her book, she hears someone knocking on her door. "Yeah," she mumbles as she pushes herself back up to sit on her bed. She sees her mom give her a small smile and then finally him. Her eyes widening as she sees the bruise on his face.

"Oh my god," she blurts out, closing her book in one go she practically jumps off her bed. "What happened?" she asks, walking towards him. Nodding her head in her mom's direction the older woman leaves them alone. "Harvey who did this?" she whispers her hand in the air, her fingertips just brushing over his skin.

His eyes close in pain. "My dad," he breathes.

"What?"

He can see the worried look in her eyes. "No.. Not like that. We were boxing," he explains and she nods biting her lip as she studies his face. His eyes welling up as both of them hear arguing coming from his parents' house, followed by the sound of a few doors slamming.

"Harvey," she whispers and his jaw just clenches.

"She cheated on him," his voice skips a beat and she sees how he's fighting the tears. "I think they're going to -"

He can't fully pronounce the words with her arms wrapping around his shoulders, pulling him towards her and then he breaks. His head resting in the crook of her neck, a tear rolls down his cheek and his arms wrap around her waist in return. All he hears is her voice, whispering how things will be better. All he smells is that familiar scent of her vanilla shampoo and all he feels are her arms wrapped around him, her hand brushing through his hair as the shushing words continue.

Neither of them knows how long they stayed like that. Breathing as one, wrapped in the other's arms. He whispers a thank you as he lets out a breath, his hands still lingering around her waist as her arms slide over his shoulders. His head moves back from the crook of her neck, his cheek brushing past hers.

"Harvey," she whispers as she can feel his lips resting on the corner of her mouth. "Don't" she whispers looking him in the eye then. "Not like this," she adds stepping away from her head hanging low.

"I.. I'm sorry," he mumbles, shaking his head. "I .. I .. -" but he doesn't finish his sentence, instead he walks to her window when he hears a car honk. Seeing a cab stop in front of his house, hearing it honk once more he swallows.

She sees him staring outside, she can see him swallow and she walks up to him. Looking outside she notices how his mother is carrying a suitcase. How his younger brother is running after her, begging her to stay. How she shakes her head and how his father is nowhere to be seen.

"Don't you think you should say good–"

"No," he interrupts her, shaking his head he turns away. "No. I don't."

xxx

" _I mean, you never even kissed Donna."_

The words make him freeze in his spot, his breath faltering and all he can do is swallows.

"Right?" she speaks again when he doesn't answer. Her eyebrow raised she stares at him.

He briefly shakes his head as he follows her steps. "No I didn't," he answers then. "She's my best friend."


	3. Chapter 3 - Charity

**Hi everyone. Happy New Year, DARVEY IS HAPPENING SOON!**

 **It's been a while, but I finally have the next chapter. I hope it's worth the wait and that you'll like it. I'd love to read your thoughts :) x**

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **Chapter 3: Charity**

* * *

His fingers rapidly typing away, hitting enter with his pink finger, he moves onto the next paragraph of her notes. The ones she reluctantly gave him that afternoon, but it is what they did. It is how they studied. He copied her notes on the course he hated and she, she sometimes read the notes he made. Yawning, his eyes close for a moment; he blindly turns over the papers. A soft grin forming on his lips he studies the doodles she made in the margin.

She studies him for a moment, her arms leaning on the ridge of his opened bedroom window. Normally he would have sensed her presence by now. She frowns, knocking on the wooden cladding of the wall to let him know she's there instead, but he doesn't comment or turn around for that matter. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, she decides to climb inside then. Sitting down on the sill, she pulls her legs up, slowly turning around until she quietly places them on the floor again. Tiptoeing through the room, she lets herself fall down on his bed. "Are you done with those soon?"

His head snaps to the right at the sudden sound of her voice. His feet pushing himself on his feet, but his knees bump against his wooden desk and his body jolts back into his chair. His entire reaction making her chuckle, she bites her lip when she hears him sigh loudly and he shakes his head, turning his desk chair to face her. He notices her lying on his bed, a smirk smile plastered on her face and he rolls his eyes. "Geez, Donna," he mumbles letting his hand run over his face.

"Well, hello to you too."

"That's –"

"You know you do this to me all the time, right?" She crooks her head, giving him that 'I'm Donna, I know' look she mastered and she pushes herself back up. Her arms falling around her pulled up knees, she waits for his remark.

He sighs, mirroring her motion he crooks his head. "I just meant you scared me," he answers with another soft sigh. "I didn't hear you," he adds, signalling the open window first and then her.

"I can't help it you stomp around."

"Your floor creaks."

"No it doesn't."

"Yes it does," he counters in a beat. His gaze narrowing in on her, making her frown a little. She raises her shoulders a little, letting them drop in defeat. Silently giving in at last. "It's just creepy how silently you were able to get in here," Harvey comments, emphasising the silently, because he was used to her showing up from time to time.

She laughs. "Ooh come on, you were studying," she defends herself, pointing at the books on his desk. "It's not like you were sleeping and I sneaked in here to lie right beside you," she rattles on, a small laugh escaping her lips when her brain finally catches up with the words she just spoke. "Cause that would be creepy."

He laughs loudly now. Shaking his head at the absurdity and random specifics of her comment. "You could," he teases her in return, raising his eyebrows for a moment and his lips turn into his signature grin once more.

She bites her lip, rolling her eyes. Her head resting on top of her arms on her knees. "I'm not sure how Mitchell would feel about that," she fires back, once more not entirely sure why she brought her boyfriend up now. She just came to get her notes back.

He chuckles, looking away from her. "Why are you even with him?"

"He's cute," she mumbles, her fingers tapping against her own knee.

"Cute?" he repeats her answer. His face cringes at the sound of it; he shakes his head to push the thoughts away again.

"Ooh shut up." She drops her arms to the side, leaning back on the mattress. She tilts her head to the side once more, her eyes directed on him, but he isn't meeting her gaze. "You don't hear me comment on why you're with Dana," she adds, her tone a bit more snarky than she might have intended.

"I'm not with her."

She swallows once, her gaze dropping to her feet. Surprised by his answer, she just isn't entirely sure as to why she is surprised. He hadn't told her they were, but she questioned why she, Donna, didn't know for sure, but then again Dana had been telling the rest they were going out so she had no reason to believe otherwise. Besides, she had a boyfriend herself. Mitchell, they've been seeing each other for little over two months now.

"We hooked up once," he elaborates, his left hand reaching for the notes she asked for a few minutes ago. "Before the summer holidays, so that's what... like two months ago," he mumbles, extending his hand with the pieces of paper in her direction. "We're not together."

Donna quietly takes the papers from his hands, studying his face for a moment. Trying to read him. "Dana would like that though."

He shakes his head, raising his shoulders. He had realised sleeping with Dana had been a mistake soon after it even happened. Yes, she was attractive, but they also used to argue a lot in class and that night they had both been drunk. The way she tried to push him into a relationship the next week not increasing her chances with him. He had used the knowledge of her absence during the summer break as an excuse. Telling her he's not going to start a long distance relationship with someone who quite literally is in the same class as he is, but it was just an excuse as he wasn't able to acknowledge the real reason of him getting drunk all those weeks ago. "But I don't."

The edges of her notes crippling under her fingertips, she lets out a breath. Not sure what to say now, she pushes herself up. "Okay," she mumbles at last when he stares at her with big eyes, wondering about her movement. "I uhm..." she mutters, lifting her hand she shows him the papers again. "Am going to study."

* * *

Pulling the jersey over his head, he walks out of the locker room and onto the sport fields. Seeing the geeky new kid tying his shoelaces at the side, he slows down his pace as he notices the kid looking around. Obviously not sure of where to go. "This way," Harvey points in the distance as he signals the guy to follow him. "So are you going to try out for any teams?" Harvey continues as the two of them walk over the fields. His eyes meeting that of the redhead who was standing next to the sidelines. He nods in her direction, the little motion not going unnoticed to the blonde guy.

"No... Uhm," Mike mumbles following Harvey's gaze. Looking back ahead again when he too spots the girls giggling. "No I don't," he adds, the words not stopping a blush from creeping up on his face.

Harvey turns around again, seeing the slightly panicked look on the new guy's face. "Why? Because of them?" he counters teasingly, his hand in the air, pointing at the girls in their cheerleader outfits.

"No," Mike lies sternly looking forward. "It's just... I'm better at physics and math anyway," he mumbles, his foot kicking a twig in the process as they make their way across the fields.

"Okay, who is it?"

Mike briefly loses his balance, when the words of the other student are paired with a nudge of his elbow against his arm. Gangling regaining his posture, he increases his step as he moves forward. Further removing himself from said cheerleaders. "What? Who's what?" the blonde guy stutters giving in. "What do you mean?" he mumbles, pushing his glasses back up his nose. Cursing himself for not leaving those behind in the locker room.

Harvey shakes his head, laughing off the blonde guy's comment. "The one you have such a huge crush on that you won't even join the try outs?" he points his arm in the direction of the girls they just passed again.

"I... I.." Mike mumbles looking down, "I don't have a crush,"

"Is it the redhead? Cause that would be understandable," Harvey answers, a mocking tone detectable for anyone who would really know him, but the new student doesn't register it.

"No," Mike shakes his head.

"Good," Harvey mutters. "One of the blondes?" he adds quickly. "Cause you should know that Paula is seeing Tanner and Katrina, she's seeing. . ." he hesitates, frowning when he thinks over the sentence he was trying to make. "Actually I don't know who she's seeing, but I'm pretty sure she is seeing someone...," he continues, shaking his head he now wonders why he even bothered figuring out who she was seeing. It not being of any interest to him personally anyway. "Is it Scottie?" Harvey adds. "Solid choice, go ahead."

The geeky guy shakes his head, frowning briefly at all the names thrown in his direction. Names he can't connect with faces yet.

"It's Zane," Harvey states then, his words making Mike look away again. "See," Harvey exclaims, pushing the geeky guy's arm again. "You like Rachel." Mike looks away again, almost shaking his head in denial.

"It doesn't matter," Mike mumbles. "She'd never be interested in me."

Harvey frowns looking to his right, before he looks over his left shoulder. His mouth left agape but he doesn't speak about what the brunette told him. "You know what," Harvey mumbles as he looks ahead again. "Let's make a deal," he offers.

Mike looks at him in confusion. "A deal? What do you mean?" he asks for an explanation.

"You're good at physics, right?" Harvey explains continuing as he sees Mike nod. "So if you help me pass physics I'll help you with Zane."

* * *

"Shit," she mumbles, pressing the home button on her phone again. "The site is crashing. I can't place the order," she adds holding up her phone for him to see. Biting the inside of her cheek when she thinks of what they can do next.

"Shit," he mumbles taking in the frozen screen. "We could go to the mall, buy the tickets in person," he suggests then, letting his shoulder leans against the light grey locker next to his own. His arm falling on the edge of her locker door, his hand dangling over the edge. He shows her his signature grin. She rolls her eyes, reaching for his jacket, she pushes it in his hand as her answer, getting a smirk as thank you in return.

Mike watches the little exchange on his right, a slight frown on his face he pulls out his own coat. "Don't you have your own locker?" he wonders out loud, his mouth dropping when he hears the redhead laugh and Harvey's gaze narrows in on him. "I... uhm..."

"Right there," Donna answers the new student, pointing at the second locker on her right. Her own gaze remaining on the contents of her own locker. "But hotshot over here can't remember his code," she adds, slapping the door of her locker closed, she throws Harvey a mischievous smile. Turning on her heels, she faces the blonde guy. "Hi, I'm Donna. You must be Mike."

Harvey tries his best not to grin, he pushes himself back on his feet instead. "What? This is just as easy."

"You know," she counters looking over her shoulder, her right index finger in the air she points at him. "When the janitor fixes it later this week, just tell me the code and I'll remember."

"Where's the fun in that?" he counters. His smirk smile soon fading, he swallows when she narrows her gaze on him. "Okay, fine," he gives in and she smiles then, telling him she'll see him outside before she walks off. He shakes his head, rolling his eyes in front of the new student as he turns on his spot too. Not even sure why he's doing it, cause that's how it's always been between them.

"You two together?" Mike asks as he walks up next to Harvey.

"What?" Harvey mumbles, frowningly looking to his left. "Donna and I?" he adds and Mike nods. A laugh escapes Harvey's lips and he shakes his head. "No," he answers. "She's my best friend."

* * *

Her arms crossed in front of her chest, her head thrown back to enjoy the sun she leans against his car. Her ankles crossed, one foot tapping along on the rhythm of a song she's humming. He crooks his head, studying his best friend. "No," he speaks.

The one word enough for her to drop her gaze. Her lips falling into a pout, he merely laughs and shakes his head again. "You never let me drive."

"It's not your car."

"It's not yours either," she counters, dropping her hands to the door. Pushing herself back up, she meets his gaze again. He just crooks his head, not even bothering to comment on it. They both knew she was right any way. He opens the door instead and she turns on her heel. "Ooh look at that, a real gentleman."

"Nope," he speaks again, holding the door at the drivers' side of the car in his hand. "Get in," he orders, pointing at the other side of the car. "Or I'm leaving without you," he warns, getting into the car himself. He slams the door behind him, his head turning to the right in the same moment he looks at her again.

"You'd never."

"I would." He turns the key, the engine roaring twice before he drives off. His fingers tapping against the steering wheel when she remains quiet. He looks to his right, seeing her head lean against the door. Her eyes straight ahead, seemingly staring out of the window and deep in thought. "Fine I wouldn't," he mumbles softly, noticing her lips curl up from the corner of his eyes.

She quietly fist pumps when he gives in. Her hands soon falling flat on her lap when she hears him mumble a 'shit.' "I got you," she smirks, looking at him then. "O and everything, Donna… O and everything," she continues to mock him.

He rolls his eyes, shaking his head. Trying to focus on the road ahead, he turns right. "Shut up. Do you still want to go to the mall or what?" Harvey counters then, trying to hold his laugh when she imitates a look of shock.

"The tickets aren't going to buy themselves, you know."

* * *

"I'm sorry," the cashier of the cinema spoke. "But we're sold out for the premiere."

Her mouth drops in surprise. "But..." she mumbles, looking to her right, seeing the same confused expression on his face too. His eyes meeting hers for a moment, she tries to focus on the newfound information. "I'm sorry," she starts again, letting her left arm lean on the cashier's desk. "Are you sure there aren't any tickets left? The sale started," she stutters, briefly looking at her watch. "An hour ago."

"I know," the cashier counters annoyed. "But they were also available for sale online and we're sold out."

They both sigh, nodding once at the guy two years their eyes. They quietly walk back through the lobby of the cinema. "Well that sucks," she mumbles then, raising her shoulders in the process, he nods his head.

"Yeah," he mumbles, letting out another sigh. "We can always try to go another day," he suggests then, thinking about all the other times they watched the prequels on the premiere night. His father, brother and them. A tradition.

"Yeah," she whispers, looking down at her feet, her arms swinging alongside her body. She holds her hands behind her back. "I'm sorry," she adds then looking at him.

"It's not your fault," he answers sincerely and he swallows when he notices the small smile she gives him, before she looks down again. "Hey," he nudges her shoulder with his. "It's not your fault," he repeats again, with a smile this time. "We'll get to see it. Eventually. Come, let's go get some snacks," he changes the subject pointing at the Cinnabon store across the mall.

She slowly lifts her gaze, a smile forming on her lips again when she sees the stores ahead. "Sounds good," she answers, nodding her head. She spots the little jewellery store on the left then, reminding her of the birthday gift she needs to buy. "Hey, do you mind if I go there for a moment," she points to the other store. "Need to get something for Katrina's birthday."

"Okay," he shrugs his shoulders once. Burying his hands inside the pockets of his pants, he lets out a yawn and follows her through the mall. Remaining quiet, he takes in everything the little store has to offer. Letting her wander off ahead, he crooks his head. Studying the earrings on display, he wanders through the aisles.

"What are you looking at?"

He shakes his head, looking up at her. Not even sure what he had been doing. He finds the redhead right beside him again, placing the wrapped gift in her backpack. She looks at the items on display in front of them, a laugh escaping her lips. "You're lucky you know that," she tells him then and he frowns for a moment, but before he gets the chance to ask what she means, she taps against the set of friendship necklaces in front of them. "That I'm not complaining because I'll never get to wear any of those."

He laughs then, shaking his head. "You and Zane don't have any of those then?" he counters, taking the card from her hand. He hangs it back again.

"Rachel's a very close friend, but she isn't my best friend," she answers truthfully, smiling at him when he nods at her in understanding.

"Well though luck then, cause they're all so ugly and tacky," he comments. "Those split hearts," he adds, his face showing another look of disgust when he pictures the pair she was holding before.

"It's cute," she teases him.

He shakes his head more dramatically this time. "Peanut butter and jelly," he continues, tapping his hand against another set. "Ying and yang. Two puzzle pieces," he sighs.

"But look," she tries again, pulling out a set of friendship necklaces with two round pendants. "One with 'Dr Who' quotes," she chirps, holding up the two necklaces that read 'The Clever One' and 'The Potato One.'

He lets out a deep breath. "Fine, Strax," he counters pulling it from her hands, he turns around and makes his way to the counter.

"Ooh, I'm most definitely not Strax," she fires back, walking after him. Leaning against the counter when she stops next to him again. He looks to his left giving her a questioning look while pointing at himself. She crooks her head, raising her shoulders and pressing her lips into a thin smile. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you this," he counters, sliding the set over the counter to the woman behind the desk. "I thought you were the clever one, Holmes," he adds with a smirk, handing the cashier lady a ten-dollar bill. He opens the packaging, removing the two necklaces in one go. Turning the pendants over in his hand he studies them for a moment, eventually holding 'The Clever One' in front of her. "Just so you know," he comments, stuffing the other necklace in the pocket of his jacket. "I'm not going to wear it."

She lets out a laugh, increasing her step she skips in front of him. Turning on her heels, she now walks backwards while her eyes remain on him. "You will," she counters, demonstratively holding up her necklace she brings the chain to her neck, closing the clasp behind it. Pulling her auburn locks out of the chain, she extends her hand towards him. Holding it up for him to hand her the other necklace.

"You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to wear a necklace," he argues, burying his hand in his pocket none the less. He pulls out the necklace and his keys again. Tossing the keys to his left hand, he drops the pendant back in hers.

"I never said that," she counters, now extending her other hand. "Keys," she orders then, her feet coming to a halt when his pace slows down and he frowns at her instead. "Keys," she asks again, crooking her head, she steals them from his hand before he can object again.

"Don't –" He swallows in the rest of his words, not entirely sure what she was going to do and what he should be objecting too. She turns around again, walking ahead instead of telling or showing him what she wanted. He lets out another breath when she walks away from him. "Donna," he calls after her, his feet starting to move again when she doesn't stop.

He finds her outside leaning against the car again. A smug smile plastered across her face. His keys dangling on her index finger, she spins them around again while she waits for him to reach the car. "Debbie," he calls her, coming to a halt. He extends his right hand between them, an unspoken request to get his keys back.

"It's Donna, potato."

He exhales, pulling the keys from her hand then. Another sigh escaping his lips when he notices the pendant attached to his key chain. Biting his tongue, he looks back up at her but he can't stop his lips from twitching a little. "I thought it was 'doofus'," he counters, regarding her answer.

"I can alternate."

* * *

He lets his fingers tap against the door, his head crooked to the side he watches their school in the distance come closer by the second. Signalling the sidewalk on the right to Mike. "Okay," Harvey starts as Mike pulls over a couple of feet before the entrance of their school's parking lot. "You remember the plan?"

Mike nods in agreement. "Yeah, I'm going to drive up," he speaks signalling his hands, "and hopefully she'll be the one to help me with the car."

"Exactly," Harvey confirms, undoing his safety belt, he gets out of the car. Tapping the hood of the car twice he makes his way over to the parking lot. Giving a thumb up to Mike, just before he turns the corner himself. His hands buried in the pockets of his jersey, he walks over to the improvised car wash station. A smile forming on his lips when the redhead looks at him in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" she calls in his direction, bringing her hand right hand to her hip. Her left with the sponge resting on the car. She turns to face him, a frown growing on her face when he remains quiet.

"I should be asking what you're doing here," he counters, looking around the place. His eyes dropping the slightest over the wet t-shirt that's sticking to her bikini-clad body before he steps closer.

"It's a charity car wash, Harvey."

He laughs aloud, rocking back and forth on his feet, because he knew that already and that wasn't what he meant. "One that the cheerleaders organised, Donna," he answers, signalling the others around them. Most clad in swimsuits mixed with their school coloured uniforms. "You're not a cheerleader."

She rolls her eyes, turning her head to break away from his gaze. Her head snapping to the left when she hears a plastic bucket break mixed with a high-pitched scream from two girls. "Ooh my god," she mumbles, her mouth left agape, and she watches the new kid get out of his car. His hands moving in the air while he's frantically apologising. "Isn't that Mike?" she asks, turning to look at Harvey again when she hears him sigh. "What's he doing here?"

"I told him Rachel would be here," he answers. Raising his hand to signal the brunette who now tries to remove the last part of the broken bucket from the under Mike's car. Donna looks over her shoulder to her friend and back to him. "He likes her," Harvey adds when he notices the questioning look on her face. "I'm trying to help him."

"You?" she laughs, looking at her friend and the transfer student again.

"Yeah," he mumbles under his breath. "Very funny," he adds with a fake smile when she looks at him again. "Anyway, how's the charity going?" he asks then changing the subject. Taking a step back from her again, he looks around the empty parking lot again, crossing his arms in front of his chest in the process.

"It's quiet," she answers, turning around towards the car again. Her hand with the sponge removing the last bit of foam. Throwing the yellow item in the bucket behind them, she walks around Harvey. Reaching for the hose, she signals him to step aside while she cleans the rest of the car. "But Paula told me, this afternoon her father and some of his colleagues will drive by," she explains, her hand now tapping against the window she waits for the driver to pay her.

"Thanks love."

She bites her tongue, the dollar bills crumbling in her fist, she fakes a smile when the middle-aged guy drives off again. Harvey notices the man winking too and he swallows. He clenches his jaw and accusations towards the driver are on the tip of his tongue, but he doesn't get to pronounce them when she just shakes her head looking at him again. "Douchebag," he mutters turning around again.

She smiles softly, looking at the rest of the group again and in particular Mike and Rachel. "Maybe your plan would have actually worked if his car would've needed cleaning," Donna says with a laugh then, turning her head to look at Harvey who studies the others before he laughs too. She sees his eyes widen then, his lips turning into a grin and she instantly knows what thought crosses his mind. The 'be right back' he says before walking off only confirming it, she sighs once remembering the dirty Mustang she'd seen in the garage between their houses. "Shit."

* * *

She hears the honk coming from a distance. Cursing herself for bringing him on this idea, she turns on her heel. Her smile slowly fading when she notices how dirty the dark green Mustang actually was and if she had to guess, she'd say he took a d-tour over a dirty sand road back to their high school. She raises her hand, waving once in his direction. Her hand settles on her head then, letting out another sigh when the car comes to a halt right next to her. His head half out of the window, his wayfarer shades on his face.

"You've got to be kidding me."

He flashes her his signature grin. Turning of the engine, he opens the door. Pushing his shades on top of his head, he gets out of the car. "It's for charity, Donna," he says smugly, letting the door of the car fall shut again with a thud. "And it's not that bad," he says stepping aside, taking in the car he reaches for his wallet. Pulling out a ten-dollar bill, he hands it to her. "Right?" he adds when she doesn't comment.

"Right," she repeats, pulling the bill from his grip she stuffs it in the back pocket of her shorts. The wet sponge from her right hand landing against his chest. "You're helping."

The cold water makes him take a step back in response, his hand moving to his chest. He just manages to catch the sponge, but his own hands cause even more water to drain from it. He shivers at the unexpected extra droplets of cold water hitting his skin and he looks up when she laughs. His eyes widening when he realizes she has the hose in her hands, her thumb stopping the water from running out. "No," he shakes his head, backing out.

She laughs again, now directing the hose on the Mustang. Removing her thumb, the water sprays over the hood to remove the layer of dust. "Relax," she teases him, tilting the hose a bit to pretend she was trying to reach him. He just happened to be closer than expected again. "Ooh shit," she exclaims when she sees him wipe the water out of his face, but she can't stop herself from laughing either.

He gasps for air, his eyes meeting hers across the car again. "Ooh this means war," he fires back. His grip tightening on the sponge he still had in his hand, he bends down to dip it in the bucket with water. The soaking yellow object soon flying through the air in her direction. She squeals, letting go of the hose, she runs around the car just in time.

Both of them laughing, two sponges flying through the air from time to time. It resembles a lot like the water balloon fights they had as kids. She ducks down again, a sponge flying over her head and landing on the ground behind her. Still bent, she tries to sneak around the car to get a hold of the hose again. Only coming to a halt when she spots his shoes. Her gaze slowly lifting she takes in the bucket full of water he's holding in his arms and the devious smile that comes along with it.

"Harvey, please," she begs when he raises the bucket. His grin only growing wider, she closes her eyes and covers her head with her arms. Ducking to the ground even more when she hears the water slipping out of the bucket. Cold droplets of water hitting her bare arms, her eyes popping open again when she hears the water hit the car instead of her.

"Ooh come on," he says taking in her confused look. He drops the bucket on the ground again. Signalling for her to get back up, he holds his hands in the air showing he has nothing else to use in this water fight. "You didn't think I would be that despicable now, would you?"

She pushes herself back up, her hand moving her hair out of her face. "Ooh, I'd have to ask the minions about that," she answers with a smirk. Her head turning to face the car for a moment, she's about to look back at him again when an arm falls around her shoulder. The movement taking her off guard for a moment, because they don't touch. She soon realises the arm doesn't belong to him, but her boyfriend. "Mitchell, hey what are –" the rest of her sentence being left unpronounced when he presses his lips against hers.

"Hey, babe," Mitchell smiles when he pulls back. "I missed you."

Harvey swallows, taking a step back by the sudden interruption of whatever it was that was going on between them. "Hey," she mumbles surprised, her hands falling on Mitchell's chest holding him at a distance for a moment, she slowly turns to face Harvey again. Her mouth still left agape, their eyes lock for a moment unsure of what to say or who to look at. She breaks his gaze, looking at the car instead. "Looks like this one is done," she says then.

"Thanks," he mumbles, giving her a faint smile. He taps the roof of the car once, turning on his spot he walks away from Donna and Mitchell, making his way around the car. His hand tracing the tail, he sighs reaching for the doorknob again.

She smiles at Mitchell now, covering his hand on her waist with her own. Letting her backrest against his chest. Her head slowly turning to face her best friend again. "Harvey," she calls out, making his head pop up again. His right hand now resting on the roof next to the driver's seat. "If I see anything on this car later tonight, you're driving me to school for the next month."

He presses his lips into a thin line, nodding in her direction once before he settles down in the car. Pulling the door shut, he instantly starts the engine and drives off. Annoyed at himself for how much the pure sight of Mitchell near Donna is bothering him, how that grew from a gut feeling to actually feeling uncomfortable at the sight of them in the course of two months. He's not even one hundred percent sure as to why that's happening, she looks happy after all and that is what is most important to him. That's what one should want for your best friend, but at the same time something is telling him that they guy isn't good enough for her.

She's taken aback for a second and his rather quiet exit, but it's not uncommon. She lets her hand slip over Mitchell's arm then, who's holding her close. A laugh escaping her lips when he places a kiss in her neck and lifts her up. Twirling her around until they both land on the parking lot again. He hooks his arm around her shoulder again, making both of them walk over to the others.

Donna waves at Rachel in the distance. Looking at Mitchell again, she gives him a quick kiss on his cheek. Telling him she's going to help Rachel and the other girls as she promised them. He smiles, letting her go, he makes his way to Logan and Louis himself. "Hey," Donna greets the girls, hugging Rachel she smiles at Paula and Dana, the latter merely nodding at her in return. "How are things here?" Donna asks then, smirking at her friend when she remembers why Harvey had shown up in the first place.

"Uhm," Rachel mumbles, looking around to make sure no one could hear her. "Well," she starts again, "he was here of course, with his car and things started a bit awkward with him driving over that bucket and all..." she pauses, biting her lip. "It was so cute, he was cute," she beams then and Donna smiles brightly. "But then I had to help other people and I haven't really talked to him since."

Donna hums, lifting herself up on her toes looking over the now small crowd. "He's there with his car," she bobs her head to the side. "You should go and talk to him," she adds looking back at her friend who stares at her in terror. "Or not," Donna mumbles then, looking around again she spots Mitchell still amicably talking to Logan. "I'll go say hi to him," she says before she walks off to the new guy.

"Mike?" she asks, her arms swinging along her body when she stops right in front of him again. A smile growing on her face when he nods in return. "Why are you waiting here? Everyone's over there," Donna points at the group a couple of feet away from the two of them. "You're more than welcome to join us."

Mike smiles softly. "The brunette told me to wait here," he answers then. "But it's okay," he answers raising his shoulders. "I'm waiting for Harvey anyway."

"Rachel told you?" Donna mumbles with a frown, but Mike shakes his head. "Dana," she mumbles in conclusion then, seeing the new student raise his shoulders and nod at the same time. Obviously not familiar with her yet. "I'm sure she just meant to park your car here, so other people can get their car washed, but not for you to stay here." It's a partial lie, because she doesn't really know. Especially when it comes to Dana, but she naturally gives people the benefit of the doubt. "As for Harvey, he left."

"I gave him a lift here, how – "

"We live like three blocks away," Donna answers. "We're neighbours," she adds when the confused look on Mike face only increases. "But uhm... yeah he left."

"Hmm," Mike mutters, jumping of the hood of his car. "He could have said so."

"Yeah," Donna mumbles, biting her lip she gives him an apologetic smile. "He never says goodbye."

"Donna."

She turns around when she hears her name, briefly looking back she mumbles a goodbye when Mike announces he's going to leave. "Dana," she greets the brunette with a smile, but her smile soon fades when she senses something is off. "Everything okay?"

Scottie smiles softly, walking closer. "Yeah," she whispers waiting with the rest of her sentence until Mike drove past them again. "I uhm... I just wanted to ask you something," she explains, her hands pushing her cheerleader skirt down against her legs. She lets out a deep breath, thinking back to everything she witnessed today, before she looks at the redhead again. "Are you in love with him Donna?"

"With Mitchell?"

"I meant Harvey."


	4. Chapter 4 - The Movie

**Hi everyone and happy SarahSunday! THANKS for all the reviews.. They make my day and I love reading them, I'm glad you still like this story. Cez, as for 'the other time'.. I considered their first kiss to be 'that' moment. So onto the next chapter, it turned out really long.. as for Mitchell's character. On the show (even though we've never seen him) I'd picture him to be this perfect gentleman, emotionally stable.. the opposite of Harvey. In this fic I kinda used him as a combination of things we know from Donna's previous relationships on the show.. also they're all teenagers and things are confusing.. and you might do things differently than when you're grown up...**

 **Either way. I hope you do enjoy this chapter and would love to know your thoughts. X - M**

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **Chapter 4: THE MOVIE**

* * *

She rolls around in her bed. She's restless, unable to sleep as her mind is working overtime. Pushing the covers aside, she swings her legs over the side of her bed. Slowly getting up, she shivers once at the temperature difference between the warmth of her bed and the rest of her room. Reaching for the glass of water from her nightstand, her feet start to move and she aimlessly walks through her room.

Only coming to a halt again in front of the window overlooking the garage. Taking a sip from the glass, she slowly places it down. Her head leaning against the frame, her eyes slowly adjust to the darkness outside when she looks at his window. The curtains half closed, but his room just as dark as hers.

The question the brunette asked her that afternoon coming to mind again. _"Are you in love with him Donna?"_ Her eyes drifting from the window to the garages between their two houses. All the times they sat there, just talking about everything and nothing coming to mind and a small smile forms on her lips. It fading again when she tears her gaze back to her room, and she repeats the words she said that afternoon. "We're best friends."

It is too dark to really look at the pictures on her wall, but she knows what they look like. A school picture from the first year they were in the same class. One from summer camp years ago and another random one that was just them, the picture in question actually hung in a frame that read 'best friends.' She knows there have been times the line from friendship to something more was blurred or nearly blurred, but in love with him?

A soft giggle escaping her lips, she shakes her head. He's her best friend, why would she be in love with him if she has a boyfriend. Another chuckle escaping her lips when she realizes how weird Dana's question actually was, given the circumstances, she had kissed Mitchell right in front of the brunette not even ten minutes prior to the question. The thing that's bugging her most though, is how she interpreted Dana's question to be about Mitchell and how even then she couldn't, without a hint of doubt, say that she is.

xxx

Folding the emerald jacket around her chest, she lets out a breath. Trying to clear her mind after spending the day helping her mom clean her home office. She walks through her backyard, making her way to the picnic table on the side. The wooden object having been there for years, they rarely used it.

She lets out another breath. Taking one big step she stands on the bench for a moment, before finally sitting down on the table. Her hands running over her legs, the air outside chillier than it would normally be in the first month of school. She slowly leans back, lying down across the table. Her eyes closing when a ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds and covers her face. She smiles softly now, taking in the warmth.

Marcus looks to his left, spotting the redhead in the garden next to his own. "Perfect," he mumbles, burying his hands in the pocket of his sweater. His hand coming in contact with the folded piece of paper, he jumps over the small flowerbed separating the two gardens, making his way over to her. "Hey," he mumbles climbing on the table, he sits down next to her.

"He's not here," she answers without opening her eyes.

"I know," Marcus says, looking over his shoulder. His eyes meeting hers when she opens one. "I came to see you," he explains with a smile. Finally pulling the piece of paper from his pocket, he holds it up for her. "For you."

"Me?" Donna mumbles, her answer related to both of Marcus' statements. She pushes herself back up to sit on the table, taking the piece of paper from his hand. She slowly folds it open, her mouth dropping when she takes in the ticket. "You got them?" she mumbles in surprise.

Marcus nods. "Yep," he answers making a popping sound with his lips. "Harvey told me you tried to order them, but that it didn't work and they were sold out at the cinema…" he pauses for a moment. "Dad said we should just go a week later, but my classmate Jack works there and he still owed me a favour, so… This Friday. The four of us, like always."

Donna looks at the ticket in her hand and back to the young man she considers her own younger brother. "Tradition," she answers with a smile and he nods. She laughs then, remembering the last time the four of them went to the movies. She leans to her left, her shoulder bumping into his. "Please don't throw your drink over me this time."

Marcus throws his head back in laughter. "How many times are you going to hold that one over me," he counters and Donna laughs in return. "I promise," Marcus tells her then.

"I see Marcus told you the good news."

She hears his voice and her head instantly moves to the right to look at him. The bright smile plastered across his face the first thing she sees and it causes a strange feeling to form in the pit of her stomach. She tries to answer, but settles on a nod instead. The moment throwing her off her game, she looks up instead. Her eyes locking with his and she now wonders if it that was smart thing to do so.

"Yeah," she mumbles when she finally finds her voice. "Thanks," she adds now looking away. Her feet dangling down the table, she feels one starting to shake a little and she jumps of the table hoping the sensation would stop. "I uhm…"she briefly looks back and forth between the two brothers, her gaze soon on the ground and later her house again. "I need to go… Homework."

Harvey opens and closes his mouth, but merely frowns instead of commenting when he turns his head. Both his brother's and his own gaze following the redhead when she walks off. Marcus crooks his head looking at his older brother then. "What's going on with her?"

Harvey raises his shoulders, letting them drop again. "No clue."

* * *

xxx

* * *

Her hand trailing over the wall, she makes her way through the hallway during her free hour that Monday morning. Her hand lingers above the doorknob for a moment and she glances through the window of the door, separating the nearly empty classroom from the busy hallways. Looking over her shoulder once, she opens the door. Sneaking inside, she quietly closes the door behind her. A smile forming on her lips when she sees him sitting in the back. Leaning in a chair, legs propped up on a table and a math book resting on his legs. She lets out a breath and finally walks up to him. "Hey."

Mitchell's eyes flicker up in an instant, her sudden appearance taking him by surprise. He shakes his head for a moment, mumbling a 'hey' in return. "How did you get here? I didn't hear you."

"Transporter beam," she says with a smirk, pausing when she notices the frown growing on his face. "Star Trek?" she adds as explanation, but the frown on her boyfriend's face doesn't fade. "No?" she mumbles, shaking her own head in confusion. "Okay, well hi," she adds sitting down on the table next to him. "Logan told me where you were."

"Figured." Mitchell smiles, looking up at the redhead. His hand reaching for hers, he removes his feet from the table. Adjusting his position, he pulls her closer. "I have a surprise for you," he says, giving her a confident smile. She crooks her head a little when his hand slips from hers, reaching for his backpack instead. He pulls out two tickets, holding them up, his eyes locking with hers again. "You and me, this Friday night."

Repeating his words in her mind, her gaze slipping from his eyes to the tickets he's holding in between them. She reads the title, her mouth slowly dropping a little gasp escaping her lips. "Wow," she stalls looking up and down between the tickets and him, her mind going over her options. "I'd... I'd love to," she mumbles, "but… I… I already promised Harvey I'd go."

"What?" Mitchell replies, his face falling back into a frown. He leans back in his chair.

"But we could go to another movie," she adds, smiling softly at him. She tries to cheer him up a little. "Just us."

"So you're choosing him over me?"

"What," she mutters now, frowning herself. She lets herself slide of the table. Her feet reaching the ground again. "That's..." she lets out a breath. "That's not what I said," she says more confident this time. "I said I'd love to go with you, it's just that I promised to go to this movie with Marcus and Harvey almost a year ago."

Mitchell scoffs, pushing himself on his feet too. His mouth opening for a reply, but there aren't any words rolling of his tongue. Instead, he pushes his books back into his backpack. His motions making her roll her eyes, her head slowly shaking when he doesn't engage in the conversation they were having anymore. He swings his bag over his shoulder, she crosses her arms in front of her chest. Her gaze still narrowed in on him, but neither of them speaks. He's the one to break her gaze then, turning on his heel, he walks away.

"Mitchell!"

xxx

Mindlessly moving his fork through the salad on his plate, he pretends to listen to the conversation Louis and Rachel are having about the ballet. Rolling his eyes when he hears Mike agree to Rachel's analysis of the arabesque. He shakes his head, turning to face Mike. He gives him this look wondering if he's serious, because he's sure Mike, just like himself, knows nothing about the ballet.

"What?" Mike mouths without making a sound, briefly raising his shoulders. Harvey just laughs, stuffing his mouth with another bite from his salad, not even bothering to comment on his observation.

"Why are taking my girlfriend to the movies?"

Harvey's head pops up. A cough escaping his lips when he nearly chokes on a piece of lettuce. He demonstratively drops his fork, his hands pressed flat against the table. He turns to face Mitchell, both sporting the same stern expression. "What?"

"Donna," Mitchell argues, his right hand extended in the air. Pointing at nothing, but his movement and the raised voices of both young men wakes the interest of the others, who turn to look at them too. "You're trying to steal her away from me. "

Rachel looks surprised for a minute. The name of her friend's boyfriend on the tip of her tongue, but Harvey is faster. "Look, Mitchell," he counters, trying his best to tame his growing annoyance. "First of all, Donna isn't a thing one can steal, but since that's how you put it. I'm not trying to steal anything from anyone, but she's my best friend and I am damn well allowed to go to the movies with her if she pleases," he says, pushing himself on his feet now, towering out above the football player.

His brows only furrowing further, when the other man remains silent, he notices the redhead appear from the corner of his eye. Looking to his left, his gaze lands on his best friend for a moment and he sees the slightest hint of panic in her eyes. "Besides," he starts again, calmer this time. "Donna told me you asked her to go," he lies, facing Mitchell again. "And I told her it is okay if she wants to go with you instead."

"Ooh," Mitchell stutters now, missing how Harvey couldn't have known already. He takes a step back when Harvey reaches for his bag from the ground and the tray from the table and pushes past him.

Harvey shakes his head walking away while the silence of the group is soon replaced by whispers. His eyes flicker to the redhead one last time, he sees her swallow but neither of them speaks. He walks past her instead, dropping the tray on the cart and he throws his drink in the trash. Making his way out of the refectory.

She swallows, her chest moving up and down with every breath she takes, but she doesn't dare to look over her shoulder. The discussion her boyfriend and best friend just had still on repeat in her mind, she steps forward. Her eyes meeting Mitchell's at last, he walks up to meet her instead.

"So you are going with me."

The words more a statement than a question, she just looks at him. Confused and not entirely sure on what to do. "What?" she mumbles at last, hoping formulating a question would give her time to clear her mind.

"To the movie."

She lets out a sigh, looking down at her feet. Her mind telling her one thing, her heart another. "No." The word pronounced before she can fully register it, she slowly looks back up at Mitchell. "No, I'm not."

"But," Mitchell starts, taken aback by her answer. "But Harvey just said you could go with me."

She nods slowly, suddenly feeling the eyes of most people in the room still directed on them. She briefly looks to her left, crossing her arms in front of her chest before she looks back at him. "He did," she agrees to Mitchell's argument, "but Harvey said he wouldn't mind. He doesn't dictate what I do, like you're trying to do now," she pauses, her eyes pleading him to have this conversation somewhere with less prying eyes.

He swallows, his hand brushing past her arm. Guiding both of them back to the hallway, she turns around when she reaches her locker again. Her hands fumbling with her combination lock, her eyes flickering up to Mitchell again, she waits for his response. An apology, but when he doesn't, she sighs. Pulling her lock aside, she pushes the door as a barrier between them. Her hands resting against the shelve, she counts to three, before she faces him again.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, crooking his head to look at her. Giving her his puppy eyes.

"It's still my choice," she reasons then and he nods, mumbling an 'I know' in return. She bites her lip, her hand reaches for her jacket and she goes over her options instead. "I promised them," she whispers, more to herself than to him. "I promised," she repeats louder this time, looking back at Mitchell. "I promised him, his dad, his brother. We've been to these movies for years and I'm not going to break that promise."

* * *

xxx

* * *

She walks through the hallway at the end of Tuesday, swinging her backpack over her shoulder she makes her way back to her locker. Mumbling a greeting to the exchange student, she stays quiet herself. Thinking over the argument she had earlier that day with her boyfriend, the same argument she thought they had dealt with the day before. Turning the lock in her hand, she hears sniffles and sneezes coming from her left then. Stepping back, she pushes the door of the locker away, looking at the red watery eyes of Mike. "What's wrong?"

He sniffles, running the back of his hand along his nose. "I got paired with Louis for the physics project and we went to work on it," he pauses, sniffing once more. "But he has –"

"Bruno."

Mike looks up at the redhead. Frowning in confusion, but he nods at last. Bruno indeed being the name he heard Louis call the Birman cat. His reaction makes Donna smile softly. "I'm Donna, I know," she adds then, seeing her words make the new student even more confused.

"Will you please switch places with me?"

"And why would I do that?" Donna counters, crooking her head she makes her way back to her own locker.

"Because you think I'm nice?"

She smiles, a soft chuckle escaping her lips, but the new guy is right. "I do, yes," she counters, stuffing her books into her bag. She looks to her left again. "But what's in it for me?"

"Cats?" Mike smiles, putting up his best puppy eyes.

She closes her locker again. "You do realise you're not really making a compelling argument," she says, putting on her jacket. Slowly turning on her spot, ready to walk away.

"Okay. Okay. Wait," Mike calls after her, slamming his own locker shut. He runs up to her. "Let's make a bet."

"A bet?"

"Give me a minute and I can summarize every phone number in your phone."

Donna laughs, looking away. "Bullshit," she shakes her head. Pulling out her phone, she turns in over in her hand. "Be my guest," she adds, when he takes it over. Mike scrolls through her contact list, reading number after number. Donna lets her eyes drift from the new guy to the clock on the wall. "Ok, times up," she announces, pulling the phone back. She scrolls through the list herself now, trying to figure out with which number she's going to test him. "Marcus," she mumbles, looking back up at Mike again.

"Marcus," Mike repeats, closing his eyes for a moment. He pretends to think deeply. "4310555212."

"Wrong."

"I gave it backwards," Mike chirps, tapping at the screen. Making Donna check again, she stares at him with her mouth left agape. "It was too easy," he states matter-of-factly. "So a deal is a deal, right?"

"I recall you saying you could memorize every number from my phone."

"Do you really want me to?" He counters, crooking his head he looks at the redhead again who stays quiet for a moment, most likely counting her options. "Photographic memory," Mike says, tapping against his head.

"Fine. Deal," Donna sighs, giving in. "I'll work with Louis," she adds then, letting out another breath when Mike walks away. She mumbles a shit to herself, when it hits her. A laugh escaping her lips. "Ooh wait, mister photographic memory, who got expelled from Catholic School," she calls after him, making Mike stall and turn around again. "Don't think I don't know you pulled this stunt to get Rachel's phone number."

"I…"

"I know," Donna smiles smugly. "You think you're good, but I'm good too," she says. "And simply texting her isn't the way to win her over."

Xxx

Mike sits down at the kitchen table of his new friend. Extending his hand to the younger brother, who introduces himself as Marcus. Mike smiles, realising the number the redhead made him recite must have been from Harvey's younger brother. He reaches for his backpack, opening the zipper, he pulls out a stack of paper. Sliding the notes over the table towards Harvey. Pulling it back slightly when the other man reaches for the papers. "Thanks for Rachel's number by the way."

"I didn't get you Rachel's number."

"I know," Mike counters leaning back in his chair. "But I thought. WWHD. What would Harvey do?"

"And what would I do?" Harvey asks intrigued.

"Ask Donna."

He laughs now, letting his hand tap against the table twice. Pulling the notes towards him, he quickly glances over the papers. "You asked Donna? What about our deal?"

"I think our deal was better than her deal."

He laughs again, nodding his head because he already knows what must have happened. "She did her Donna thing with you."

"Yeah," Mike sighs, with a frown. "It's creepy."

"It's good," Harvey replies in a beat. "Did she find out what you did last summer?"

"Nothing but the truth."

"The ugly truth?" Harvey adds, wondering is the other guy will actually catch up with the movie titles, but Mike nods. "Scary story?"

"As good as it gets," Mike continues, dropping his backpack on the ground again, a smile growing on both their faces when they realise the other gets the references. "The good, the bad and the ugly."

"Tell me," Harvey says. "What is it?"

"It takes two to tango," Mike fires back, crossing his arms. Donna figuring him out without much effort now stopping him from being the only one that's going to open up.

"Look who's talking."

Mike nods, thinking for a second before he speaks again. "Orphan."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie?"

"Alright. Okay," Harvey gives in, frowning for a moment when he looks at the new kid. Feeling a bit awkward for questioning the guy's words, but he hadn't expected this. "Divorced. Parents."

"Since?"

"Last year," Harvey says. "When she went away."

"Seven years," Mike answers his own question in return.

"Accident?"

"Car crash."

"The unfaithful wife," Harvey counters, giving Mike the same curtesy in telling the reason without having to ask. He thinks about Mike's combination of answers for a moment and how he only joined their school two weeks ago, now making him wonder about the student's home situation. "Home Alone?" he asks at last.

Mike shakes his head. "Grandmother's house."

Harvey nods, not commenting further. He looks at the notes on the table again instead. "Thanks for this," he says then, signalling the papers again.

"Part of the deal," Mike answers. "Oh, and I got you the best lab-partner for the project," he adds.

Harvey frowns for a moment, shifting on his chair. "I already had the best lab-partner," he objects.

"Negatory," Mike shakes his head. "I'm the best lab-partner there is," he explains pointing at himself.

Harvey stares at the guy across the table for a moment. His jaw clenching for a moment he thinks about his now apparently former lab-partner. "I don't see how that's an improvement for me."

"I beg to differ."

Harvey crooks his head, trying to hold in a laugh. "Humour me."

"Well," Mike starts, pulling out some school records. He slides them over the table. "I checked. The last two years you teamed up with Donna. Both times you two got a B- and you need at least a B+ to get the GPA you need."

Harvey swallows once. Not having to look at the papers to know that everything the new student just told him is true. He looks back up, wondering how Mike got the information in the first place, but he counters with a different question. "You saying she isn't smart enough?" he wonders then with a stern look, leaning on the table.

Mike shakes his head. Not missing the sudden shift in Harvey's tone, his posture defensive maybe even protective. "I'm saying you can't afford to let yourself get distracted," Mike says, pointing at the paper he just placed on the table again. "Besides she got straight A's on all her other tests."

Harvey's jaw clenches again, he lets out a breath when he thinks for a moment. Not bothering to comment on the distraction statement. "Fine. Deal," he answers. "When do you want to start on the project?"

"The day after tomorrow," Mike suggests, packing his stuff again.

"Back to the movie titles?"

"No," Mike laughs, realising his answer was indeed a movie title. He gets up from the chair, bringing his bag to his shoulder. "Just can't sooner."

* * *

xxx

* * *

"Hey, you," he greets the redhead when he runs into her on the driveway between their two houses. He knows running into her isn't exactly what it is, as he'd been waiting there in front of his car for the past ten minutes, but he's barely spoken to her the past few days and he wonders why. "I heard I lost my lab-partner."

She looks up when she hears his voice, the way that made her feel a few days ago not forgotten. She swings her bag through the air, turning on her spot to face him. "Hey you," she uses the same words he just spoke to her, a smile forming on her face when he smiles at her. "Mike tricked me," she explains, raising her shoulders to indicate it wasn't something she could change.

"I know," he answers, pushing himself back on his feet. "Do you want me to give you a ride to school?" Harvey asks, signalling the car behind him.

"It's still clean," she objects, referring to the comment she made at the charity car wash.

He laughs, turning around he signals for her to follow him. His hand tapping on the hood once more. "Come on," he looks over his shoulder when she stalls for a moment. "You probably missed the bus already anyway."

She chuckles at his argument. "We live three blocks away from school, there's no bus." He rolls his eyes, signalling the car once more. She lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding when her feet carry her across the drive way and to the green Mustang.

She quietly sits down on the passenger's seat, letting him do the talking for once, she still thinks about the look on Mitchell's face when she told him she would go to the movie with Harvey tomorrow night. _"Him over me."_ She glances at him from the corner of her eye, swallowing when she spots the pendant still on his key chain.

"Right?" he asks again, now looking to his right when she doesn't respond to his earlier question. He notices the absent look on her face. The way she's staring out of the window and he can't help but wonder what's exactly going on. If has anything to do with the argument he had with her boyfriend earlier that week, but he doesn't ask. Not sure if he wants to know.

* * *

xxx

* * *

He opens the folded cardboard box, reaching for the chopsticks they got handed with them. He's never been able to eat with those, but they were at that shitty Thai place she loves, so he tries. They all try, but neither of the Specter men seems to possess the talent she has. He looks to his left, seeing his brother do an impression of the movie the four of them watched that night.

His gaze flickering to the redhead sitting next to him. She laughs at his younger brother, but her smile doesn't exactly reach her eyes like it normally would. "You okay?"

She briefly glances to her right. Her eyes locking with his, she presses her lips together in a thin line when she nods. Her chop sticks poking an egg roll. "I…" she pauses, letting out a soft sigh. "I was just thinking about my argument with Mitchell the other day."

"You regret going here?"

Gordon frowns now, taking one more sip from his drink. His gaze drifting from his son to the redhead. Donna swallows, looking up at his father now. She shakes her head. "My boyfriend wanted to go to this movie too. With me," she explains. "He didn't really like the fact that I already promised to go with you all," she adds raising her shoulders. "But it's tradition," she smiles at Gordon now. "Wouldn't change this for the world. He'll come around."

"He's a tool," Marcus mutters then, a tad louder than intended and Harvey drops his chopsticks in response. Nearly choking on a piece of shrimp this time, because he might have let that description slip every once in a while.

"Marcus," Gordon warns then, looking back and forth between his two sons and the redhead. "I'm sure he'll come around," the oldest Specter reassures her. "Besides, I can't blame you, honey. The Specter charm is hard to resist. I'm glad you're here."

Donna smiles softly. "It sure is," she agrees in a whisper. "And I'm glad too."

Harvey swallows, focussing on the cardboard box in his hand. Mindlessly moving some food around. The way she agreed to the charm thing, silencing him. Even more than usual, because he was always the one to listen, but he can feel his father's eyes directed on him none the less. He looks up for a second, noticing a look of understanding on his face that he can't really place.

He reaches for his cup of soda again then, bringing the straw to his lips. Emptying the container to the last sip, he lets out a sigh. "Ready to go?" he states rather than asks, breaking the silence. Getting up from his chair before the rest can answer.

xxx

He walks right beside her. His hands buried in the pockets of his jeans, his head low. He's staring at his feet, kicking a twig over the sidewalk on their way home. He listens to her talk. Humming in agreement to her analysis of the last scene. He laughs, his eyes closing and his head shaking slowly when she puts up a British accent and recites her favourite lines.

"What?" she mumbles when she notices his reaction from the corner of her eye. Slowly turning around on her place, she crooks her head just looking at him now. Shaking her head when he mumbles a nothing in return.

"You're weird," he answers giving in to her question look. Briefly raising his shoulders, he turns around her. His hand falling on the railing of the steps to his house. Letting his father and brother pass when she laughs at him in return, telling him he still chose her as his friend. He studies her face for a moment. "You really okay?" he asks again, now that they're alone.

She lets out a sigh, breaking his gaze and for a moment she hates that he's known her for over a decade. That he can read her too. She looks down instead, contemplating her answer. "He said this was a date." The words nearly inaudible, but letting out the words Mitchell said to her a few days ago, make her repeat them again. Louder this time. "Mitchell said he considered this to be a date."

He swallows, her words taking him off guard and he can't place the look on her face anymore. Confusion taking over, he opens his mouth to speak, the only words leaving his lips a repeat of what she just told him. "This… a date."

His eyes locking with hers again, both remaining quiet for a moment. The awkward tension tangible in the air only broken when both of them break out in a grin. A chuckle escaping her lips, she looks away. "That… would be… weird."

"Yeah," he agrees, slipping his hand through his hair. Another short moment of silence falling between them, he looks back up. "Because you're weird and –"

"With your dad and all." She mumbles at the same time, raising her hand signalling his house.

He looks to his right. His gaze resting on the open front door for a moment. "Yeah," he mumbles nodding, forcing another smile on his face. "Marcus.. and.. " he stalls looking back at her. "Wouldn't want them on our date," he adds.

A soft laugh escaping his already parted lips, when he hears the words coming out of his mouth. He just isn't one hundred percent sure whether that's from the absurdity of them or nervousness, but she giggles too and even if it's the first time the pure sound of her laugh leaves a knot in his stomach, he can't help but laugh along with her. "So," he starts once more, looking at her again. "Would he see us watching a movie at home as a date too?"

She raises her shoulders, shaking her head when she moves up and down the sidewalk in front of his house. "I don't know," she answers with another laugh, turning around again. "Maybe," she whispers after a few thoughts, letting herself fall down on one of the steps to his house. Her arms falling around her knees. "You know," she looks up at him, "it's just not fair. I bet it's because it's you, you know."

He hums in agreement, but isn't entirely sure what she means. He sits down next to her instead.

"I mean. Because his best friend is Logan," she clarifies her reasoning then. "It's not like I think they're on a date every time they play those ridiculous video games."

He laughs loudly at the image she just sketched. Shaking his head when he thinks over her answer. "Yeah," he mumbles, letting out another laugh. "But if you need me to talk to him, I would," he tells her. "You know that right?"

"Need?"

"Need," he nods.

She shakes her head, looking at the street ahead again. "Nah, I'm fine. Thanks," she says, her hands tapping against her knees. "Cause if I'd told him I'd planned this with Rachel it would have been fine. So it's his problem, not ours," she says. A smile growing on her lips when she remembers what she told Mitchell. "I also told him that I will not wait with talking about the movie, so that if he doesn't want to get spoiled he should just watch it by himself."

"Did he?"

She laughs, nodding. "Saw him waiting in the lobby of the cinema when we walked out." He looks in surprise, making both of them laugh again. "With Logan!" she adds, rolling her eyes.

"Bet they were on a date," he teases her. Nudging her shoulder with his, she grins at him in return.

"Obviously."

* * *

xxx

* * *

She lets herself fall on the couch next to Mitchell, pulling up her leg, she turns to face him. "And that last scene," she chirps, talking with her hands. "Wasn't that just amazing?"

"It was alright, I guess."

"Alright?" Donna repeats, taken aback by the lack of enthusiasm in his response. "But this is exactly the type of movie you like," she reasons, shaking her head in confusion. "How can you say it was just alright?"

Mitchell sighs, looking at the redhead. "It was alright, because I didn't get to watch it with my girlfriend."

She swallows, letting her arm drop on the backrest of the couch. She looks away, doing her best to not get annoyed. "I told you, I promised. Next time -" she pauses, looking back at Mitchell, but he shakes his head. Telling her she chose Harvey over him once more. "So we're back to this discussion," she sighs. "Again."

He raises his shoulders, not commenting, but they indeed were and she lets out another sigh. Pulling her hand back, she contemplates whether she's actually doing this again. But she wants to get to bottom of this once and for all. "You don't hear me complaining about you spending time with your best friend," she counters, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"But my best friend isn't a girl!"

"Ooh," she scoffs, her hand falling against her head. A chuckle escaping her lips when she realizes she was right all along. "So you don't have a problem with me spending time with my best friend, you have a problem with who my best friend is," she fires back.

"I never kissed my best friend."

Donna's mouth drops in surprise and she gulps once. "That was years ago," she answers shaking her head, she looks at Mitchell again, wondering why she ever told him that, but he had been the male lead she was supposed to kiss in the first place. "We were practically kids," she adds, referring to not just Harvey and herself, but even him. "He's my best friend."

Mitchell raises his shoulders again, his head slightly tilting. His motions telling her that that doesn't matter, not to him. She swallows fighting the tears, she looks away. Getting on her feet, she turns to look in his direction again. "You don't trust me," she states, taking a step back.

Ready to turn around, he calls her name. His hand reaching for her arm, she freezes when his fingers slide over her skin. She turns around again. "I do," he says. "I do trust you… I just…" he pauses, shaking his head he looks at the ground. Searching for words. "Look, I've never done all this before," he explains, letting go of her hand.

"I know."

"I…" he starts again, letting his hand run through his hair. "I think I just got a little jealous, because I like you so much," he whispers, giving her a small smile.

She presses her lips into a thin line, letting out breath she looks at the ground for a moment, but his words ease that nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach and she's never really been able to resist that small smile he's giving her. "A little," she counters then, looking him in the eye again, one eyebrow raised.

He chuckles. "A lot. I'm sorry," he says stepping closer. Hesitatingly he reaches for her hand, but she doesn't pull back when he steps even closer. His other hand brushing a strand of her auburn locks out of her face. "I really am sorry. I know he's just a friend," he whispers, his eyes locking with hers again. "You didn't comment on the other thing though."

She bites her lip, looking down for a moment. "I like you too."

* * *

xxx

* * *

Her hands brush along her skirt when she sits down on the edge of the improvised stages. Her feet dangling in the distance, she lets out a breath. Her head tilted backwards she looks up at the clouds cut out of cardboard that hang from the ceiling and she starts singing her song.

Three lines in, a male voice echoes through the room and she looks over her right shoulder. Blinking twice when she sees the male lead, Mitchell, walk towards her. She forgets her lines for a moment, nerves getting the better of her. She smiles instead, her gaze never leaving his when he walks towards her. Sitting down on the edge of the stage at last.

Mitchell's hand covers hers, she finally starts singing again. Both of them sing together now, their eyes locked till the very last line. He moves his right hand to her face, bringing a strand of hair behind her ear and his fingers brush over her cheek. Both of them smiling nervously, but she moves closer as scripted and so does he. His eyes closing first, she swallows one last time before his lips meet hers in a soft kiss.

One. Two. Three seconds.

She counts in her head as instructed, her hand moving over his cheek. She pulls back then, slowly opening her eyes to look at her opponent again. The bright blue eyes now turning a dark brown and when her fingers slide over his temple she feels the small bump of a mole. "Harvey?" she whispers.

"Hey you."

"Ooh my god," Donna cries out as she sits up in her bed, heavily breathing. Her forehead covered with a few droplets of sweat, she looks around trying to control her breathing. Trying to figure out where she is. "A dream," she stutters, finally feeling the duvet under her fingertips.

"Just a dream," she repeats to herself, letting out another breath as she looks through her room again. Her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. She takes in her bed first, it is still covered with her books and she realises she must have fallen asleep while studying.

Turning her head to look at the clock on the wall, she doesn't learn the time when her gaze finds the lamp burning in the room across the driveway first. Her stomach twists again and she lets herself fall back on her bed. Pulling the sheets over her head, she even turns her back towards the window. "It was a dream. It was a dream."

xxx

She manoeuvres through her room. Looking for her emerald jacket, scarves flying through the air left and right. Stuffing her books in her backpack at the same time, she runs around. Putting on her shoes, her hands running through her hair, she turns her auburn locks into a messy bun. Turning around again one more time, she spots her jacket on the chair in front of her window. Walking over to it, her gaze drifts of to his window and she sees how he's still slowly moving around.

She snatches her jacket from her chair then. Knowing that if she rushes now, she'll manage to get out of the door before he does. She also knows that would mean she's avoiding him and it's not something she ever pictured herself doing, but she hasn't slept since she woke up early that morning. The images of the dream still haunting her, she can't place why this dream is happening.

He's her best friend. Friend, that's what she told Mitchell. She's not in love with him, that's what she told Dana. Going on a date with him would be weird, that's what she told him. That's what he confirmed.

Swinging her bag over her arm, she looks over her shoulder one last time. Quickly making her way downstairs afterwards. Ignoring the questioning look on her mother's face, she declares she has to go and makes a B-line to the door. Pulling it shut behind her before her mother can even comment, she lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding when she's greeted by the cold morning air. Staring at the closed garage doors, she jumps of the steps. Turning to her right, she quietly walks her way to school.

xxx

He struts through the hallway, turning around when he nears their lockers, but the redhead is still nowhere to be seen. Her mother's "she left in a hurry," still making him frown he leans against the grey metal cabinets. His arms crossed, eyes directed on the clock he watches the minutes till the first period pass by.

Sighing once, he turns around then. His hands reaching for the combination lock on his locker, quickly twisting the changing index to 80, 50, 00, 40. The lock opens with a small click and he places his jacket inside, his eyes focusing on the locker two to his left again, but she still wasn't there.

With two minutes to go, he enters the classroom. The first thing he notices is how the seat in front of his is still empty and he swallows again, but he spots her auburn locks from the corner of his eyes. His head slowly turning to the left. He sees her sitting next to Louis and he frowns for a moment, but remembers Mike tricked her into switching and guesses his friend to be Mike's former lab-partner.

She feels his eyes burning her skin and it takes every fibre in her being not to look in his direction. Only looking at him from the corner of her eye when she hears him sit down. She swallows and looks straight ahead again, still not feeling completely her old self. She puts up a bright smile when she spots her boyfriend walk into the room. He sits down in front of her and she leans over the table to give him a quick kiss.

* * *

xxx

* * *

The next two weeks are spend pretty much the same. They do walk to or back from school together from to time, but the conversations are about little to nothing and they don't really spend time together after school anymore. In the beginning it was because they were both busy with projects and studying for exams.

Afterwards it was as if their schedules just didn't line up anymore. He would have practice one day, she had theatre on the other. He'd promised to meet with the guys, she with the girls. It wasn't entirely coincidentally that her relationship with Mitchell improved for the better during those weeks. Making homework together often stretched into watching a movie and dinner.

Last night, the first night she stayed over at his place.

Besides making out, nothing actually happened because she told him she wasn't feeling well. She knows it's bound to happen eventually. It's part of being in a relationship, but she wonders if it might be too soon. She made a promise to herself, that she had to really like the guy and she does. She likes Mitchell, a lot and yet she wonders if this is what she meant with 'really' when she made that promise to herself.

"Honey?"

She looks up then, shaking her head to clear her mind. Not even realising she walked herself over to her mother's home office. She mumbles a greeting in return before stepping into the room. Pacing up and down twice, she finally sits down on the couch she's seen more than one patient take place. "Can we talk?" she asks then.

"Of course," her mother counters. Getting up from behind her desk, she walks over to the couch her daughter is sitting on and she sits down next to her. Studying her face for a moment, she covers the younger redhead's hand for a moment. "How are you? And you and Mitchell?"

"Good," Donna answers with a genuine smile. "We're good," she repeats again, adjusting a little on the couch. "We uhm... Tomorrow is actually our three month anniversary," she smiles then, her hands moving over her legs. She pulls the fabric a little, the date reminding her of her earlier thoughts again. "We uhm.. "

"Don't ever feel like you have to," Martha comments then, already knowing the direction of the conversation. She gets up from the couch for a moment, walking over to her desk for a moment. Opening a drawer, Martha pulls out a condom. Walking back, she sits down next to her daughter again. "But if you want to," she places it in her hand, folding her daughters fingers around it.

Donna swallows, looking down at their hands for a moment. Because she hadn't expected her mother to do this. "Don't tell your dad," Martha adds then and Donna looks back up, a chuckle escaping her lips at her mother's word and she thinks about all the other times her mother said then. Her father still calling the eighteen year old his baby girl.

* * *

xxx

* * *

She pulls the front door shut behind her. Bringing the strap of her purse over her shoulder. Her right hand holding onto her coat, she walks over the small porch to the steps. Coming to a halt when she sees him appear from the corner of her eye and something inside her aches. She tells herself she can't miss him, he lives right next door.

He's dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, earbuds in and he runs past her house, but comes to an abrupt halt when he notices her too. Turning around, he pulls the wire connected to the earbuds. Letting out a heavy breath, his hands falling on his knees for a moment. He stares at her, his mouth still left agape. She lives next door and they go to the same school, but he has difficulty remembering the last time he actually spoke to her. Really spoke to her.

She gives him a small smile, walking down the steps to the sidewalk where he's still standing. Trying to catch his breath. He pulls out his phone, stopping the playlist he was listening too and his eyes skim over her outfit for the tiniest of moments. "You... " he starts, taking another deep breath. "You... uhm, look different."

Feeling a blush starting to creep over her face, she looks down. Her right hand holding onto her left wrist, she tells herself she shouldn't let him have this effect over her. Especially because he basically said nothing special and she looks back up again. "I'll just take that as a compliment," she counters then.

He swallows his shoulder slumping a little. "Donna –"

A beeping sound catching her intention instead of him calling her name. She looks down, pulling her phone out of her purse. Checking the message, she looks back up again. "I should go," she says then, signalling the street, she closes the buttons of her coat with her other hand. "I'm having dinner with Mitchell."

He winds the white cord around his phone. Nodding at her words, he rocks back and forth on his feet. "Yeah… I should go too," he adds then. "Poker night with the rest."

She smiles softly, swallowing in the 'I know' because she did know, but he never told her. She learned that from Mike. "Well, have fun."

He nods again. "Aye, aye, captain."

He stretches his back, swallowing once while he watches her walk away. He only turns around when she disappears from his peripheral view, his eyes widening again when he now finds himself staring at the older redhead from next door. "Mrs. Paulsen."

The older woman walks to the edge of the porch. Her hands landing on the railing. "Harvey," she greets him in return and she studies his face for a moment. She knows it is none of her business, but maybe it's her being a therapist or her motherly instinct kicking in when she takes in the look on his face, but she has to ask. "Is everything okay?"

Harvey sighs once. The question not uncommon, from both mother and daughter. The woman opposite of him primarily asking it the months after his mother left. He doesn't speak, but raises his shoulders instead. Letting them drop in defeat again.

"You don't have to tell me," Martha answers. "But maybe you should tell her."

xxx

She laughs when Mitchell swirls her around on the music, catching her in his arms again. They dance around his bedroom. The night so far absolutely perfect. His hands holding her close at her waist, she lets her hands rest on his chest. Her fingers fumbling a bit with the collar of his shirt and she smiles when he tells her she looks beautiful. Nevertheless, the words, even though more expressive, lack that feeling in the pit of her stomach like earlier that day.

She doesn't allow herself to think much of it though, because he's said it before. She tells herself maybe that's why it doesn't have the same effect, bringing him closer instead. Her hand moving to his face, she kisses him instead. Her lips brushing over his, he instantly answers her kiss. His hand on her waist pulling her even closer, her hand slips over his face.

He frowns a little when her fingertips move from his temple to his forehead, because she's never done that before and he pulls back to look at her. A smile on his lips, he brings his left hand to cover hers when he waits for her to look at him again.

Slowly opening her eyes when his fingers cover hers, she realises what her subconscious made her do. Quickly pulling her hand back, it slips from his grip and he gives her a questioning look now. "Everything alright?" he asks, but she can't answer. The entire situation taking her by surprise, she just presses her lips into a thin line and takes a step back.

"I uhm… need to go."

* * *

xxx

* * *

She turns the cup of hot chocolate around in her hand. Blowing over the steaming content, she stares down at her feet resting on the seating of the picnic table. The events of the past few weeks running through her mind. Especially those of last night, one confusing her even more than the other, but they all point to the same thing. Something is off.

He lets out a breath. His pace slowing down for a moment when he reaches the edge of the grass, stalling a bit, he now takes a deep breath. Pushing himself further, her eyes closing when she hears his footsteps coming closer and they stay closed until he sits down next to her on the picnic table. "Hey."

"Hey," she whispers back, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. She notices how he's keeping his hands busy and she redirects her gaze on the cup in her own hands again. Both of them staying quiet for a moment. She's the one to break the silence, because if they talk she doesn't have to think about what she needs to do. "Harvey, what are –"

"You and Mitchell," he says then, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "It bothers me," he adds, looking in the distance again and she swallows biting her lip. "I know it's not fair, but it does," he adds calmly, she swallows once more. Her gaze lowering to the ground again when she feels the tears starting to well in her eyes. "You know just because it bothers me, doesn't mean –"

"I know," she cuts off his sentence. She can't hear him say it, the situation she's in confusing enough already.

"Because it would be weird and all," he mumbles, deliberately using the words she said to him weeks ago and the soft sound of a nervous chuckle noticeable through his breathing. She swallows, biting the inside of her lip. Her eyes closing, a single tear slips over her cheek and she lets her chin rest against her hand so she doesn't have to look at him.

"It's just," he pauses with a sigh. "We barely talk anymore."

* * *

xxx

* * *

Martha studies her daughter for a moment. The way she's curled up on the couch. Her arms folded over the backrest, her chin leaning on top of those and the way she's absently staring out of the window. It's the second day in a row her daughter looks so distracted.

She's not entirely sure what or if something happened between them the other night and she wasn't planning on asking, because she'd learned that letting Donna come to her was the best way to go and so far Donna had done exactly that. Except this time. She crosses the room, quietly sitting down on the couch next to Donna. Knowing something is going on for sure when the eighteen-year-old girl doesn't respond. "Donna, is everything okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Donna," her mother repeats her name, crooking her head. Her gaze remains directed on her daughter, who briefly looks at her.

"I'm afraid I'll lose him."

"Mitchell?" Martha asks, but Donna shakes her head and lets out a sigh. "Harvey," Martha states then and the younger redhead turns her head to face her mother. Nodding twice.

"He said we barely talk anymore."

Martha presses her lips into a thin line, looking at her daughter in understanding and at the same time proud of the kid she's known for years for opening up like that. Especially after everything he's been through. "Why do think he feels like that?"

Donna lets out a sigh, turning around even further. Her arms hugging her knees. "I pushed him away," she confesses then, letting her forehead rest on her arms for a moment to think over her actions of the past month. "I…" she mumbles, taking a breath when she looks up again. "I thought that would make things easier with Mitchell," she adds, her eyes welling up when she realises she might not lose just one, but both guys. "Everyone kept saying –"

"Why would pushing Harvey away make things easier with Mitchell?"

Donna crooks her head, staring into her mother's eyes. It sounding so logical when she asks her, it wouldn't. She shakes her head, because she wasn't even sure what she was thinking. "Because he's my best friend," she reasons then, "and Mitchell was… is my boyfriend."

"Doesn't mean you can't have both a boyfriend and a best friend," Martha answers with a small smile and her daughter nods again. Whispering her two most used words in her mother's direction. "Did he make you choose?" Martha continues, "Between him and Harvey?"

She lets her head hang low, a tear slipping down her cheek. She realises how stupid it sounds, how in any other situation she would have seen what was happening. If it had been about some of her friends, she would have been the rational one, but it was happening to her. "Yes," she whispers then, immediately shaking her head after the word leaves her lips. "No," she says now looking back up, her head leaning against the palm of her hand. "Not really, but …"

Martha stays quiet. Just looking at her daughter, she runs her left hand over her daughter's arm.

"I mean," she moves her hand through the air. "It came up, but it wasn't just that," she adds then. "It's everyone always assuming there's something more going on… Between Harvey and me and …" she stalls, shaking her head. "It is just so confusing... I had… so I pushed him away, but it didn't –"

"It didn't make things less confusing," her mother fills in then and Donna bites her lip, nodding again. If anything, she was more confused than ever. "Do you think there's something more between Harvey and you?" Martha asks.

"He's my best friend," Donna counters in a beat, emphasizing the 'best.' She closes her eyes then, a soft chuckle escaping her lips, she shakes her head when it dawns on her that that's exactly how she always answers those questions. "I," she starts now, her teeth scraping over her bottom lip for a moment. "I never really thought there was."

"And now?"

"Now?" Donna repeats in a whisper, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know."

* * *

xxx

* * *

He turns over another page of the book they're required to read for class. The content anything but interesting and he tries his best to focus on the story, but when he notices a light turning on in her room from the corner of his eye, his head snaps to the left. He can see her pace through her room, the way she's moving with her arms indicating she's talking to someone else. That person appearing in his vision soon enough and he tears his eyes away from the sight he doesn't want to see.

Closing the book, he tosses it aside. His concentration now completely lost, he rolls off his bed. Searching for his shoes, he quickly puts them on. Anything to get away from here and not having to see that. His right hand snatching his baseball bat and his sports bag from the floor, he storms out of his room.

Making his way down the stairs with two steps at a time, he brushes past his younger brother in the hallway without any form of greeting. Marcus turns around, narrowing his gaze on his older brother. "Where are you going to?"

"Practice," Harvey snarls back reaching for his jacket, his right hand reaching for the door. Opening it in one go, he steps outside.

Harvey's words and actions confusing Marcus even more, he rushes after his brother. Coming to a halt on the porch, he calls after his brother. "You came home from practice half an hour ago."

"Well, I'm going again," Harvey fires back without looking back.

xxx

It took two hours for him to cool down again. Two hours of hitting every ball the pitching machine threw in his direction to lose the feeling of an irrational irritation. Something inside him snapping when he sees his classmate; Mitchell. Not even just the guy, but them together. Him and her. He thought telling her it bothered him would help, her mother even told him to do it and yet here he was. Breaking his own record, because if anything acknowledging it bothered him made him more aware of how things were changing.

He lets out a breath, letting the bat rest on his shoulder as he walks back home. Passing her house first, he doesn't look up like he would usually do. Instead, he looks straight ahead at his own house. Fully intending on getting inside without letting anything bother him this time. However, halfway the driveway he catches a glimpse of her auburn locks dangling down the roof of the garage.

Quickly turning his head to make sure he actually saw that, he spots her lying down on the roof. Her hair hanging over the edge and he can't help but walk towards her. "Donna?" he mumbles, softly pulling on her ponytail. Dropping his hand again he waits for her reply, he watches her turn over. His gaze locking with hers, he notices how she's on the verge of tears and it's the one and only look he's never been able to handle. The bat slips from his hand and he swallows once.

"I'll be right there," he tells her then, quickly making his way inside. He rushes up the stairs, his leather jacket thrown aside on the landing. He opens his door in one go, directly coming to a halt again when he now sees her sitting on the edge of his bed. His eyes meeting hers again, he crooks his head and she presses her lips together in a small smile. Shrugging once before she lets herself fall backwards on his bed, her legs still dangle over the edge.

He lets out a breath. Contemplating on what he should do, he settles on sitting down next to her. His elbows leaning on his knees he looks over his left shoulder in her direction, but she just stares at his ceiling without further acknowledging him. Taking one deep breath, he breaks his gaze and lets himself slowly fall down next to her. His first eyes focussing on the dent in the ceiling they once made with a baseball, he turns his head to the left again. "You okay?"

She exhales deeply, still avoiding his gaze. "I will be," she whispers then and another silence falls between them. She doesn't dare to look at him, still being able to feel his gaze burning her skin.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks, still seeing the sadness on her face.

She laughs once, her eyes closing. "You?" she turns to look at him now. "You want to talk?"

He smiles now, because she saw right through him. "Well," he says looking at the ceiling again. "Not particularly, but –"

"Can we watch a movie?" she asks instead. Not in the mood to talk. He hums agreeing to her request and he pushes himself back up to sit. Reaching for his laptop from his desk, he pulls it on his lap. She follows his lead. Sitting back up, she moves back over his bed leaning against the headboard. He hands her his laptop then and she quietly takes it from his hand. "We're not watching clueless."

He fakes a pout. His hand falling against his chest, he pretends to be hurt by her comment. "It's one of the most underappreciated movies of our time, Donna."

"I know," she laughs, rolling her eyes because his argument is still the same. She opens an all-time favourite instead, The Breakfast Club.

Xxx

She looks down at her hands, the thumb of her right hand moving over the knuckles of her left hand. She hasn't been paying attention to the movie since the moment he hit play, it was a stall. A way of letting him be there for her, without her directly having to open up. She needed to clear her mind first, contemplate about how and what she was actually going to tell him. He caught her on the verge of tears after all and she knows all too well that even Harvey wouldn't let it slide if she left everything unspoken. She takes one deep breath, before she speaks. "I ended things with Mitchell."

He swallows once upon hearing her words. It not exactly the ones he expected to hear after seeing her teary eyes, but it came down to the same thing in the end. "I'm sorry."

She raises her shoulders, letting them drop again. It was her decision and it was one that had been in the making for a while now, but that didn't make it any easier. "He made me choose," she adds in a whisper, thinking about the final argument they had earlier that day.

"Choose?" he repeats. "Why? Between what?"

She gulps, looking down again. The words of how it came back to the boyfriend versus best friend discussion dying on the tip of her tongue, she can't tell him that. She settles on another ongoing issue instead. "I uhm…" she lets out a breath, not sure if she should tell him this either. But she needs to say something. "We… we'd been for three months and he… he wanted… you know," she mumbles, raising her shoulders again. "And I didn't, so –"

Hearing her explanation he's biting his tongue and he can almost feeling his blood boil. "Look, the guy is tool," he bursts out then. Finally being able to say that in front of her having a strange calming effect on him. "He doesn't deserve you," he adds looking to his left. "There are better guys out there. You made the right decision."

She nods. "I know," she whispers in return. Just two words but they answer every single one of his statements. Fidgeting with the pillow she pulled on her lap, both of them staying quiet for a while. The voices of Claire and Bender coming out of the speakers the only thing preventing the room from falling into complete silence.

"Ooh and don't worry," she chuckles a couple of seconds later, making him mumble a 'what' in response. "You don't have to show me that," she adds, pulling the grey pillow to her chest. He just frowns at her now. "Remember when I had that play," she pauses for a moment looking at him. "And I had to kiss the male lead?" He crooks his head now, a grin forming on his lips. "Well you don't have to show me this."

He stays quiet for a moment, her words surprising him and he isn't entirely sure how to respond or if she even expects him to respond. "Donna," he whispers her name.

"Ooh god," she exclaims then, throwing the pillow to his head. Another chuckle escaping her lips, she pulls up her legs. "No that's not," she says looking to the computer screen again. "I didn't end things because… Look he wouldn't have been my first. It's just that..." she stalls, looking to her right again. She finds him still frowning and she knows why. She never told him.

"Summer last year," she confesses. "Dad took mom and I to Florida and I met this guy. Stephen," she sighs, rolling her eyes. "And he was older, went to college in the city and I don't even know why I… but we did," she tells him, her jaw clenching a little. Regret now the word that comes to mind when she thinks back to that holiday.

He swallows, making himself sit straight again. He stuffs the pillow she threw at his head on the side. "You never told me that."

She gives him a faint smile. She indeed never did and there was a reason for that. Her eyes closing, she pushes the memories of seeing Stephen kiss another girl a few days later away. She thinks about his mother now, how Lily left months prior to that summer holiday. "I don't know," she lies, answering his unspoken question as to why she never told him.

Looking away from him again, she folds her arms around her knees. "So I made a promise to myself," she continues. "That I wouldn't do that again unless I… I really like the guy," she explains, looking at him from the corner of her. He stays quiet, but nods in understanding. "God," she sighs, "I ended things two hours ago and I can't even remember why I started dating him in the first place."

"You thought he was cute," Harvey counters, using her words from a few weeks ago.

She laughs, throwing her head back in the process. "Yeah guess what," she says, turning to face him again. "Turns out that's not a good enough reason." She bites her lip, letting out another breath. "From now on I'm not going to get into a relationship with a guy without being friends first."

"You were friends with Mitchell," he counters.

"No," she shakes her head. "We weren't. Not really. Not like..." she pauses, swallowing in the 'us' she looks away again. "It wouldn't have worked out anyway," she adds quickly. "If I didn't end things now, it would have ended a week later or a week after that. We were just too different, getting in the same repetitive arguments. It's not worth it. So, friends first then love, the other way around doesn't work."

"Then you're still going to lose," he states and she's the one to look confused now. "You know once you let yourself fall, you're done for," he adds, looking straight ahead. "Because if things go wrong then you not only ended your relationship, but also the friendship."

Her eyes search for his, but when his gaze doesn't meet hers she looks away too. "You think it's too much a risk."

He swallows, nodding once. _"That would be weird.."_ He remembers her saying. "Yeah," he answers then. "Because if one friend were to tell the other how they feel and the other friend doesn't feel the same," he mumbles. "They..."

She bites the inside of her cheek, stopping herself from looking towards him again. She fills in his sentence instead. "They could never go back."


	5. Chapter 5 - Scouts & Sleepovers

It's been forever and I'm so sorry about that, but I'm not letting this fic (or others) go unfinished and I've been working on this one, still a work in progress so I don't know how soon updates will follow but I decided to do more 'shorter' chapters instead of my previously planned out index. I do hope you'll like this, let me know. :) - x, M

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **Chapter 5: SCOUTS & SLEEPOVERS**

* * *

She turns around in the crowd. Lifting herself on her toes, her gaze roaming over the team warming up before the game. She spots Johnson on the left, Dave next to him, her eyes moving from one dark blonde hairdo to the other but she doesn't spot the one she's looking for. She wants to shout his name but doesn't, the team too far down the field and the crowd makes more noise than she would be able to.

"Do you see him?"

She turns on her spot to face his father, indicates a no with a mere shake of her head. "Maybe he's still inside," she answers the words both a question and an answer. Her hands cling onto the paper bag in her hands. She turns to look at his younger brother who only shrugs in response. "I'll go check," she announces then, stepping off the bleachers again, she signals for the two men to keep her spot. "I'll be back before the game starts."

She makes her way past Marcus, through the crowd now to the stairs on the side. Increasing her pace she rushes down the wooden steps, crosses the group of students in front. She flashes her friend a smile, signals the row she's seated on but doesn't linger around. Instead, she heads back to the gym, descends the four steps there to the lowered locker rooms. She pushes through the door of the men's changing room.

She shouldn't be here, she knows that but he wasn't on the field yet and she needs to speak to him before the game starts. Or rather give him something. She calls out his name, shakes her head. Wonders if she's silly for going through all this trouble, he probably doesn't even remember she made this comment to him years ago.

He frowns, stuffs his shirt in the metal locker. "Donna?" he mutters unsure, thinks he heard her voice but he isn't sure if it was there or just a figment of his imagination. She's been on his mind a lot today, more than he can allow himself but it's due to the deep conversation they had the day before.

She recoils at the echo of his voice, didn't expect to find him here. She wants to ask him why on earth he isn't out there, warming up with the rest of the team. The words however never leave her lips when she passes another row of lockers and finds him then, her gaze locking in on his bare chest. She gets stopped in her tracks and a gasp slips out.

He looks to his right, an amused grin spreading over his face when he notices the flustered look on her face. He can't help but frown though, wondering what she came to do.

"Right." She snaps her fingers, more to wake her from her own daze than to get his attention. "There you are."

"Here I am," he answers slowly, his gaze momentarily narrowing in on her. He pulls his jersey from his locker and over his head. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to wish you good luck and I didn't see you after class," she answers with a small smile, now remembering the paper bag in her hands, she holds it up for him. Nodding her head she urges for him to take it from her hands.

Hesitatingly he takes it over, an eyebrow raised he questions her actions.

"Just open it."

He follows her orders without much thought, opening the bag he looks down at the content inside. A heartfelt laugh escapes him in that moment, right-hand reaching in to pull out the pair of red socks. "It doesn't have dots though."

She looks up at him, a relieved sigh escaping her lips. "You remember?"

He smirks. "Yeah, my summer baseball camp. Dad was on tour and m… She was sick, so -"

"Mom drove you to the game," she finishes his sentence for him. "And when you got out of the car you jumped into this giant puddle."

He folds his hand around the red knitted fabric in his hand. "And you gave me your socks so I could play."

"And you hit the winning home-run because of it."

He smiles at the memory, looking up at her again. "It wasn't just the socks."

Her mouth drops a little and she shakes her head. "No," she objects. "I'm not going to..." she pauses and lets out a sigh when he fakes a pout. "Ok fine," she gives in. "On two conditions."

He pretends to think over his answer, but the image of her trying to do a cheer is far too amusing to answer anything but yes. He nods, waits for her to state her terms.

"First. You have to actually put them on."

He swallows, his gaze dropping back to the socks in his hand. He sits down on the bench then, kicking off his shoes. "And second."

"I want to have the first baseball you're going to sign."

He chuckles at that condition, pulling on the tie of his shoe. He blindly ties his shoelaces as his focus remains on the redhead. "I thought you weren't a baseball fan."

"No," she shakes her head. "But I'm a Harvey fan."

-xxx-

" _ **Harvey Specter comes to the bat."**_

"He's next, he's next," Gordon speaks after the commentary, already moving to the edge of his seat.

Donna smiles and nods at Gordon's enthusiasm, she momentarily glances at the man next to her and then Marcus who maybe for the first time during the game actually lifts his gaze from his phone to look at the field. She looks back ahead then too, watches him grab the bat and make his way over to the home plate.

On her right-end, she hears Mike explain the game to her friend, or more like try to explain. She chuckles at that. Catches a glimpse of the look on Rachel's face and smiles amused as the brunette tries to correct the explanation Mike is giving her.

"Her dad is a huge fan," she tells Mike then. "She knows," she adds, now hearing a soft laugh escaping Rachel's lips. She doesn't have to look to know the brunette will offer the guy an apologetic smile and urge him to continue anyway. She focuses on the field herself, recites his movements in her head. She has seen him practice so many times that she knows he switches the bat from one hand to the other. Taps it against the ground once, he'll stomp with his foot twice. She catches herself taking a long breath at the same time he does and when he brings the bat up to get ready, she finds herself crossing her fingers and whispering homerun.

He takes another deep breath, drawing his bottom lip between his teeth. Grip increasing on the bat in his hands, his attention along with his gaze narrows in on the pitcher. He counts down from five, mutters a 'come on' to himself and he swings the bat then, feeling the impact of the ball hitting the bat vibrate in his muscles. The sound that impact comes along with snapping him from his daze, the bat falling out of his and his feet start running like practised a million times before.

" _ **Left field and look at that ball go."**_

The crowd jumps up from their seats, the cheering from the sideline getting louder by the second. All eyes directed on either the sky, following the ball or on the field, following the one that just batted now running from first base to the second.

"Oh my god." Bringing her hands to her cover her mouth, she feels herself gasp when he also slips by second base. His right hand briefly touching the ground as he nearly loses his balance and she finds herself holding her breath now.

" _ **Home run!"**_

"That's my son!"

"Home run," she screams now, jumping in place. "Home run," she repeats turning to face his father and brother as both Specter men are cheering along too. She high-fives them both, yelling again, she turns around and catches Rachel's hands as both of them jump up and down.

His hands fall on his knees, catching his breath. He inhales sharply, looking back at the scoreboard to make sure it really happened. His lips curling up in a big smile, he feels the coach's hand fall down on his shoulder. He turns around, nodding at the man's praising words. He looks up at the crowd, heard his father calling his name in the distance seconds prior already. Her red hair is what catches his attention first, he smiles now looking back up at the five of them in the crowd.

-xxx-

She hooks her arm around Rachel's, stealing her from the new guy and she receives a rather unamused look from him in return but she just smirks and slightly increases her pace as the two of them make their way down the bleachers. She tugs on her friend's arm once more to get her attention, her gaze narrowing in on Rachel's brown eyes. "And?"

"And what?"

She crooks her head gives Rachel a look. "I'm not stupid. You and Mike."

"There's no me and Mike."

Donna laughs at that. "Ooh come on, you two were practically staring at each other during the entire game. You can't tell me this wasn't a date." She pauses looking at the brunette when she stays quiet. "Did he ask you to go?"

"No," Rachel shakes her head. "Not really. We had been talking about the game yesterday and this afternoon and he just asked if I'd be here, which I was because of cheer practice. So this was not a date."

She fakes a sigh. "Ok, not a date it is but you'd have said yes if he did."

Rachel presses her lips together in a thin line, a shy smile now forming on her lips.

"Well, in that case, how about a girls night in."

"Aren't you going to celebrate with Harvey?"

She shrugs once. "He's going to grab drinks with his team, but even if he wasn't. I want to hear all about why this wasn't a date."

Harvey makes his way back through the crowd and more specifically his team when he hears his coach call out his name. He finds the man next to his father, a surprised look crossing his face at that occurrence but he can't help but smile at his old man.

Gordon pats his son on his back. "There was a scout in the audience today," the older Specter man starts, already having heard the news from his son's coach. "He wants to talk to you."

Harvey's eyes widen in surprise, his gaze moving from his father to his coach. "What?"

The coach nods and brings his right-hand to the young player's shoulder turning him around to signal the scout in the distance. "I don't know what he's going to say yet but he did ask to speak to you," Coach Bennett announces, signalling for the scout to come over with a wave of his hand.

Harvey lets out a breath, trying to keep his cool with the newfound information and the adrenaline of winning the game still rushing through his system. Rocking back and forth on his spot he scrapes his feet over the ground to control the sudden nerves. He looks around the crowd, last-minute attempt to keep himself in check before the scout joins their little gathering and his gaze meets hers in a beat.

He watches her do a thumbs up, can see her say something he can't possibly hear from this distance but it doesn't matter because he has got a pretty good idea she's telling him it were the socks. He wonders then if she, like his father, knew about the presence of the scout all along. If that's why, after all the games she watched him play, this was the one she brought him the most unusual but thoughtful gift. He shouldn't be surprised really, he knows he knows everything after all. It's her catchphrase, the words he probably heard most in his life (besides his mom telling him to clean up his room). He can merely wonder why she didn't tell him.

Coach Bennett steps aside when the scout reaches the company of four, introducing the young player to the other man. Harvey extends his hand, shaking that of Mr Smith. A man that reminds him of both Rachel's father and his classmate Louis Litt, an odd combination and he has to hold in a chuckle at those sudden thoughts. Coughing once, he turns to look back at the scout.

Mr Smith smiles at the three Specter men, explains he talked to Coach Bennett during the game and praises the way Harvey played. "We'll definitely keep an eye out for you, Mr Specter."

Harvey presses his lips together in a thin smile, nods once in acknowledgement of the words and he extends his hand to shake that of Mr Smith again. "Thanks," he answers with a somewhat forced smile. The news good, a step in the right direction but he can't help but be a little disappointed, always dreamt of getting scouted by some university in one go. Being offered a scholarship to anywhere but home, it's what he trained for, the goal he subconsciously set himself right around the time things got more complicated at home.

He nods once more, watches the scout walk away again and his gaze automatically lands on the redhead in the crowd once more. She's standing next to Rachel, he watches her laugh, catches her gaze next now that she looks in his direction again. He notices her repeating the same motion as before, raising her hand with a thumbs up. This time it is a silent question. He nods at her too, presses his lips back into a thin smile. Not showing his disappointment to her in that moment.

She smiles brightly at that, bobs her head up and down and mouths a 'have fun' in return while lowering her hand in a semi-wave. She redirects her attention to the brunette next to her once more.

"Ready?"

"Yeah," Donna answers her friend. "Let's go."

-xxx-

Rachel makes her way from the bathroom to Donna's bedroom, having walked the ten steps dozen of times before her gaze is directed on the phone in her hand. She texts her mother to let her know she's staying at her friend's for a girl's night in. Entering Donna's room, she finds the redhead on her bed, absentmindedly flipping through some magazine and staring at a couple of bottles of nail polish on the duvet. She notices the look on her friend's face. "Everything okay?"

Donna looks up in surprise, her lips automatically falling back in her perpetual smile. "I'm fine," she mumbles, focussing on the magazine again. "Everything is okay."

Rachel crooks her head at the redhead's reaction, a soft sigh escaping her lips because she knows the redhead pronounced aren't the truth. She contemplates giving in for a moment, also knows how defensive and closed off her friend can be but doesn't in the end. She steps closer, sits down at the foot of the bed. "Donna," she whispers now, reaching for one of the bottles from the duvet, hoping the added motion will make the redhead look up at her again. "You seem a bit down today."

Donna sighs once and draws her bottom lip between her teeth but doesn't speak.

Rachel twists the small bottle in her hand now, opening it she reaches for Donna's left hand and places it on her own knee as she quietly starts painting her friend's nails. Just waiting for her to open up.

"I ended things with Mitchell."

Rachel nods in return and leaves the comments of how she figured this out aside. "Do you regret it?"

"No." She shakes her head, handing her other hand over to Rachel when the brunette taps on the back of her left hand. "No, I don't," she adds to her answer, a soft laugh leaving her lips. "It's just…" she pauses, shrugging once. "I don't know. Things are changing."

Rachel finishes the last two fingers, bringing the brush back to the bottle. "Too much or not enough?" she asks now, studying the redhead's face and mulling over her previous words.

Donna looks back up at that, catching a glimpse in Rachel's eyes that she can't really place. A mixture being curiosity and teasing. She swallows once and bites the inside of her cheek as she thinks over her answer. "I like it more when we talk about you."

The brunette gets the hint and silently hands over the bottle of nail polish to Donna, now holding up her hand herself. "It wasn't a date," she states again, bringing their earlier conversation back to life.

Donna laughs now, both appreciating how her friend accepts her silent plea to let the subject of her love life rest and not push any further, yet not letting this one thing from her own go. "You're making it hard for him," she counters, dropping the bottle back on her duvet she picks up a different colour to use. "The guy has a huge crush on you."

Rachel's mouth drops at that statement, she suspected but hearing it being stated like a fact from her best friend is another thing. "He does?" she asks innocently.

"Trust me. I know," Donna chirps back, dipping the little brush back into the glass bottle. She continues painting Rachel's nails. "Who wouldn't?"

Rachel grins now.

"And he did ask you."

"That doesn't change the fact that I was still at school for cheer practice," Rachel repeats her argument from earlier that night. "So no, it wasn't a date."

Donna rolls her eyes, shakes her head lightly. She closes the bottle and places it aside, rolls herself over her bed to the right side. Pushes up until she sits against the headboard, she pulls out a remote now and turns on the television and Netflix, starting their girl's night in with a movie. "I know just the movie for you."

Rachel lets her gaze drift from her friend to the screen. "Magic Mike?" she reads aloud, a chuckle following the words. She gives the redhead a playful slap against her arm, letting her shoulder bump into Donna's she laughs again. "You are the worst."

* * *

Martha turns around in the kitchen, opening the cabinets to reach for the plates. She takes the cups from Jim's hand, placing them on the table as well. She watches Jim put on a pan with water, letting it boil while he focuses on the bacon in the frying pan. "You should make it four eggs instead of three."

Jim's hand stalls on top of the cardboard egg box, turning around to look at the redheaded woman. "What?" he asks unsure. "Something I should know? I thought she ended things with what's his name?"

Martha nods, a soft chuckle escaping her. "She did," she answers placing four plates on the table. "Rachel stayed over last night, they had a girl's night."

Jim reaches for a fourth egg now. "Okay, four it is."

"You do realise she is eighteen."

"Yeah," Jim mutters as he lifts the lid from the pan with boiling water, adding all four to the water. "But she will always be my baby girl."

Martha smiles at the comment from her husband. "I know," she answers with a nod. "I'll go wake them," she announces, leaving setting the table for later as she makes her way to through the living room to the stairs. Martha moves up the stairs, making her way over to the redhead's bedroom. She knocks on the door twice before quietly pushing it open. "Girls," she says louder now as she stares at the two sleeping heads poking out of the sheets on either side of the bed. "I'm making breakfast. Down in fifteen," she adds, the later more a statement than a question.

Donna mumbles an okay to her mother, pushing herself up into a sitting position. Using her left-hand to brush her hair out of her face, she looks to her right at her friend. The brunette half draped over the edge of the bed. She uses her pillow now, softly dropping it on her friend's frame. "Rach."

This finally results in a sound from the other girl, Rachel groans and rolls herself around on the bed. Prying one eye open, she takes in the room she's currently in. It taking a few seconds and another poke from the redhead for her to realise she's at Donna's, she pushes herself up in a sitting position too. "Morning."

Donna smiles back at her friend. "Morning. Mom's making us breakfast," she tells now, tapping her friend's leg over the duvet before getting out of her bed. She tiptoes through her room to the cabinet, opening the middle drawer. Lifting out a pair of underwear she tosses it through the room to the brunette, now signalling the big closet near the window. "You can pick anything you want."

Rachel chuckles, does half a cheer to show her excitement. Borrowing each other's clothes after sleepovers was definitely one of the characteristics of their friendship. She pushes the covers aside and gets out of bed herself. Walking over to the wardrobe her gaze lands on the window opposite of Donna's, catching a glimpse of her friend's best friend moving through his room.

Donna picks a sweater from her chair, pulling it over her head and she turns around in the process. Catching a glimpse of him too, she now spots the grin starting to form on the brunette's face. "Stop staring at my neighbour," she orders, tossing a piece of clothing through the room.

Rachel squeals, just soft enough for the neighbour in question not to hear it, and she jumps on her spot. Now lifting the shirt Donna threw at her from the floor, she folds it up and opens the door of the closet. "I'm not," she counters firmly. "I just… I can't believe the two of you never kissed that's all."

"What?" Donna inquires in a beat, her head popping up in the same moment. Wide-eyed, she stares at her friend.

"You and your neighbour," Rachel answers emphasizing the last two words without even looking back at the redhead. Instead, she searches through the different pieces of clothing, fingertips moving over the items. "He said -"

"Ooh," Donna mutters now, interrupting Rachel's words. She looks down at her feet, not sure she wants to hear the rest of that sentence but it doesn't mean she can't piece the parts together; he must have told Rachel they never kissed. It only makes her think back to that one very brief moment years ago in her very own garden. She shakes her head now, looking back up. "Yeah, no."

"Never?" Rachel counters pulling her head out of the cabinet to face the redhead. She lifts a clothing hanger and brings it towards her. "Ever?" she adds because where the man in question hadn't given her any reason to ask further, something in the tone her friend used and the slightest pause between the words causes her to ask now. She narrows her gaze in on the redhead, moving back to Donna's bed.

"No." Donna shakes her head, deciding to keep up appearances as he apparently denied the entire event but then again it was years ago and lasted mere seconds. It doesn't mean anything. "He's my best friend."

Rachel lifts the sweater she picked from Donna's closet over her head, pulling it down her frame she crooks her head and stares at her friend. Briefly thinking back to the conversation they had last night when the subject of Mitchell came along again. How Donna had told her that from now on she'll only date guys she can be friends with first. "You should go for it," she muses, throwing her hands in the air and twirling on the spot to show of the sweater.

Donna sighs softly, avoiding her friend's gaze she draws her bottom lip between her teeth as if she's really contemplating Rachel's words and deep down she might even be. But the conversation she had with the man in question comes back to mind. "You can never go back," she answers in a whisper more to herself than to Rachel.

Donna pushes herself from the bed now, changing the subject. "Come, let's get breakfast."


	6. Chapter 6 - Gordon Schmidt Van Dyke

Hi everyone, thank you so much for the follows/favs & reviews. I love reading them so much and they definitely help as motivation to keep writing. So here's the next part, I hope you like it. Let me know what you think. X - M

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **CHAPTER 6: GORDON SCHMIDT VAN DYKE**

* * *

She waves, watches Rachel ride away on her bike. She waves once more when the brunette looks over her shoulder and lifts one hand in the air before turning the corner at the end of the street. Donna laughs now, lowering her hand she hugs her own frame and turns on her place.

She spots him now, standing on the small veranda in front of his house. Elbows leaning on the white painted wooden railing. She smiles at him, takes a step towards the Specter's residence. "What is it?" she inquires, walking her way around the plants to the steps. "Yankees. Red Socks? Don't tell me the Lakers."

He turns around, meets her at the steps. Face now sporting a disgusted look. "Never the Lakers," he counters, shaking his head. He steps down and sits on the top step, waiting for her to do the same.

"Liar," she teases him, making him chuckle and he looks to his left as she sits down next to him. She turns to look at him. "So which team will you be playing for next year then. Scholarship and all."

He looks away now, staring into the distance as he presses his lips together, a soft sigh escaping him. "None," he answers after a minute.

"What?" she whispers in surprise. "I thought -"

"The scout. He said he saw potential and that he'd keep an eye on me, but -"

"You are getting that scholarship," she interrupts him, not wanting to hear anything else.

He swallows, glances at her from the corner of his eye. "You don't know that."

"Yes," she fires back in a beat. "I do know that. I'm Donna, trust me," she adds signalling herself. "At the end of the year you'll have that scholarship."

He smiles softly at her enthusiastic stubbornness, but can't help but counter. "And what if you're wrong."

She fakes annoyance, staring at him with her mouth left agape. She can see he's serious though so she ends her teasing before it even really started. "Well," she mumbles, thinking over her next answer. "If you couldn't go pro or even if you did but grew tired of hitting the ball out of the park," she pauses for a moment when he chuckles. "What would you want to do then?"

He bites the inside of his cheek, looks ahead again to think over her question. It's a question he asked himself a lot lately. "Work at the firm," he answers. "As a lawyer, but -"

"But what?"

"They uhm…" He sighs, shakes his head and tries to clear his thoughts for a moment. "They have this policy, they only hire from Harvard and there's no way I'd ever get into Harvard."

"Hey." She bumps her shoulder against his to get his attention. "You are the smartest guy I know and Harvard would be lucky to have you."

He chuckles softly, whispers a 'thanks' in her direction. He folds his hands together, letting his elbows lean on his knees. "Even if I were to get the grades, I don't have the money to go there. Dad -"

Donna swallows now, bobbing her head up and down in understanding. She thinks over his words, his situation different from hers but in a way they face the same difficulties. Her father had lost most of their money when she was thirteen.

"And you?"

She looks up at him now.

"If you could do anything in the world, what would it be? Which acting program?"

She laughs now because he already filled in half her answer for her. "Yale," she admits. "The theatre program at Yale," she whispers, now sporting a slim smile similar to the one that had graced his face when he talked about Harvard. "But when dad lost all our money," she pauses, lets out a deep sigh and her shoulders drop in defence. "I guess I'll have to find something at NYU."

He lets out a breath, nods once in acknowledgement and then mutters to himself. "Maybe I should look into options here in the city too."

Her eyes close for a moment, repeating the words she wasn't supposed to hear but did in her mind. Thinks over what that would mean. "No," she whispers. "You won't have to worry about that. You're going to make it."

He looks at her again, wants to believe in the faith she has in him. Wishes he had the same confidence in his own future. "In that case, we have to make sure your dreams come true too," he answers, showing her the same support.

She grins at that, her head tilting to the right for a moment but she doesn't let it rest on his shoulder. Instead, she bobs it right back and speaks her first thoughts. "And how are we going to do that? Have me run for class president? Vote Donna, I know everything," she adds, laughing at the idea.

"I'd vote."

Her brows knit together in a beat and she stares at him for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"I would," he reassures her. "You'd make an awesome class president."

She rolls her eyes and huffs softly not believing him. "You're just saying that because I'm your best friend and you have to be supportive."

"Don't," he speaks now, glancing at her again. Shaking his head. "I'm serious," he adds nodding. "Would you want to?"

"I…" she pauses, letting out a breath. "I thought about it before, but -"

"But what?"

"I never. I don't have any experience with student councils," she adds, shaking her head. "I don't know."

"Okay, enough," he orders, pushing himself to his feet. "You're running. You'd like it, you'd be great at it and no way Yale would say no to Donna the class president Paulsen."

She chuckles, her eyes closing in the process and she uses her hands to push herself to her feet too. "Okay. I guess I am."

"For the record," he continues, turning around before opening the front door. "Yale should take you anyway cause you were great as Ophelia last summer."

She stalls briefly stares at him as she wonders how he still remembered her role and she wishes she could tell him he didn't even see her perform but that's not the truth and for some reason it makes her feel a little uneasy. The teasing comment that follows pronounced to hide that fact. "I didn't know you were a Shakespeare fan."

He laughs once, pushes the door open and waits for her to walk past him. "I'm a Donna fan."

* * *

"So you think I should do it?"

Rachel stalls for a minute, stepping closer to her friend she hooks her arm around Donna's. "Run for class president?" she repeats, the two of them now walking behind the rest of the girls. "Hell yeah, I'd vote."

Donna laughs once, increases her grip on Rachel's arm. "That's what Harvey said."

"Harvey said what?"

The two girls look back up at the others and in particular the head cheerleader. Scottie crooks her head, waiting for an answer.

"Nothing," Donna shrugs. "He just suggested I'd run for class president, that's all."

Scottie bobs her head up and down, a smile forming on her lips. "Well, you'd be one hell of an opponent," she offers then extending her hand, waiting for Donna to shake it.

Donna frowns, not having expected this answer. She knows her friend runs for it too every year and normally she'd support her friends but she had thought about running herself this year even before he brought it up. "You won't mind?"

"It's not about if I mind," Scottie answers. "The question is do you want to run? And for the record, I don't mind. If I'm going to have to lose to anyone, I'd pick you but don't think I'm going easy on you."

Donna laughs once, shakes the brunette's hand. "Deal."

Scottie smiles, pulling her hand back. "May the best women win," she comments before walking off again with Katrina and Amy.

"Isn't Kyle running too?" Rachel adds then, making the redhead follow her.

Scottie shrugs, looking back over her shoulder. "I said what I said," she comments in a singsong making all five girls laugh. They continue their way over Fifth Avenue, hopping in one shop after another, they find themselves going through racks of party dresses.

Amy lifts a hanger with a deep purple dress, holding it in front of her. She looks down, pulls on the fabric and swirls around in front of the mirror. "How about this?" she asks.

Katrina walks around the shelve of clothing, observes Amy for a moment. "Sid would like it," she answers in a beat.

Amy snort laughs. "Jonny?" she counters, shaking her head. "Please. That was junior-year-me, senior-year-me is over him. Travis however. Geez, isn't it stupid they moved up homecoming to November? We're like the only school ever to do so."

Donna quirks an eyebrow overhearing the conversation of the two others, she leans on the metal rack and comments on the first part of their conversation. "Isn't Tanner with -"

"Is. Was," Katrina answers in a beat with a bob of her head. "I don't see him doing the long-distance thing and yes it is. It's going to be cold in November."

"Intercontinental," Amy adds, emphasising how long long-distance would be in this instance.

Donna frowns now, walking around the clothing rack. Not entirely sure she is up to date on the details of their current conversation.

"Her parents moved back to England," Katrina fills her when she notices the look on Donna's face. "You didn't miss her at school this week?"

She presses her lips together, fights her urge to smile at the weird situation. It's so uncommon that she, Donna Paulsen, doesn't know something. "I guess I didn't," she admits, biting her tongue she tries to recall if the blonde told her before. She figures she might have at the charity car wash, but that she was too preoccupied with other things to register the news. "She didn't have a goodbye party?"

"She did. She'd been talking about it non-stop before she left. The party was last week, on the fifth," Katrina answers now. "Come to think of it. Mitchell was there, why weren't you with him?"

Donna bites down on her bottom lip, looking down at her feet she thinks over the day Katrina described. Six days ago. The day she broke up with Mitchell, she remembers the events leading up to that. The inner turmoil she experienced with the best friend versus boyfriend debacle.

"We broke up," she mutters softly. Now looking back up at the rests, she speaks louder this time. "I broke up with Mitchell on Thursday. I guess that's why it all slipped my mind."

"Wait!" Rachel chips in now, folding the clothes she picked out over her arm she steps up to her best friend. "You broke up with him on Thursday, I thought you said -"

"I know," Donna cuts her friend off, raising her hand. She shakes her head, not really sure how to answer or why she never clarified it happened the day before the game. One of the reasons probably close to the look she's getting now, she knows Rachel would have wanted to be there for her. Knows the brunette would have asked even more questions she wouldn't have known and still doesn't know how to answer like the one she did get during the sleepover. She doesn't even fully know why Rachel and the others would have those questions in the first place and the one person that could know would have been the subject of most of them. "It doesn't matter."

"Well, you might be better off without him on homecoming."

Donna glances back up, nodding at Dana now that she returned with her hands full of clothing before looking at Katrina, a quizzical look spread across her face at the blonde's comment. She can't help but laugh and ask why at the same time.

"Because he can't dance," the blonde adds, her eyebrows wiggling suggestively but only Donna and Amy are able to see it, both chuckling at the blonde's comment.

"I take it Dave can dance?" Amy asks about Katrina's boyfriend, she looks at the blonde who merely smiles, not commenting on the matter. "I bet Travis can dance," Amy wonders out loud.

"Harvey can dance."

Donna swallows once at Dana's words. She knew or had figured so from what she knew. Hell, she even teased him about it mere weeks ago but she can't help but briefly look at the floor to not let her reaction show. She isn't even sure the brunette got what Katrina was hinting at or if she was talking about prom from last year, either way, hearing it does something to her she can't fully place.

Katrina turns around to the head-cheerleader, comments on the clothes Dana is holding in her hands as the two women go through the stack. Both of them going over the pros and cons of a short dress with the belated event.

"I hope Mike can dance," Rachel whispers now, spinning the hanger with the skirt in her hand around.

Amy frowns at those words, can't remember anyone with that name. She leans to Donna, asks in a whisper who the person Rachel refers to is.

"The new kid," Donna answers with a soft smile. When Amy nods, Donna glances down at her left wrist and pretends to look at a watch she doesn't even have. "I uhm - " She looks back up at the other girls, signalling with her right hand over her shoulder while the rest converses about the dresses in their hands again. "Should go."

Rachel looks at her friend. "Do you want me to go with you?"

Donna shakes her head. "No. I just remembered I promised to help my mom," she improvises, waving at the others before she turns around and walks out of the shop. Her pace increasing with every step she takes until she finds herself on the corner of the street. Donna turns around, stalling for a moment and she lets out a deep sigh, trying to shake off the annoyance she felt building inside of her. She rocks back and forth on her feet, takes in her surroundings. Looking to her right, she sees the law firm where Harvey works after school.

A smile tugs on her lips and she smiles brighter now, her grumpy mood soon fading as she checks the time on her phone. Realising it's near the time of his break and she could spend a few minutes with her best friend. She takes two steps to the side then, joining in the line near the coffee cart, she decides to buy both of them a drink.

Two cups of coffee in hand, she uses her elbow to push through the revolving door. Her head tilting back, she takes in the lobby of the place. Momentarily balancing both drinks in one hand, she pulls out her phone to message Harvey. When there isn't an instant response, she twists on her spot, finds herself walking in the first direction that comes to mind. Not really having a clue where she needs to go and the security guards aren't helping either. In fact, they won't even let her through.

"Can I help you?"

She smiles at the appearance of a helpful voice and she looks to her left, staring up at the tall woman. "My friend works at the law firm here," she explains. "I thought I'd stop by to bring him a cup of coffee. But he isn't answering his phone, so he's probably working through his break again."

The woman smiles softly. "What's your friend's name?"

"Harvey," Donna answers in a beat. "Harvey Specter."

"I'm afraid I don't know him," the woman answers, showing her tag she signals for the security guard to step aside and she motions for the redhead to follow her.

"He works in the mail room," Donna explains then, concluding from the woman's outfit that she must be a lawyer at the firm.

"The mail room?" The woman repeats, turning to the right to change her direction. She normally wouldn't do this, but there's something about this girl that makes her give in and guide her through the building.

"Yeah. For now."

"For now?"

Donna looks up at the tall woman again, a proud smile gracing her lips now. "Well, he's really good at baseball so if he gets a scholarship he might go pro but I've also heard him talk about wanting to work here."

The woman glances back at the redhead, a frown forming on her face. "In the mail room?" she asks unsure, not sure how that adds up to a person with the ambition to become a professional baseball player.

"As a lawyer," Donna clarifies.

The woman hums, surprised and intrigued by the few details the young woman has told her so far and she wonders who her friend is. She turns the corner now, extending her right hand. "Here's the mail room."

He looks up at the sudden appearance of a female voice. There usually aren't any people stopping by in this section of the building and he has to blink twice when he finds himself facing his best friend. "Hey," he mumbles a greeting, looking up and down between Donna and the woman he's only seen in the distance a few times.

"Hi," she smiles brightly, now looking back over her shoulder at the woman that helped her. "Thank you -"

"Jessica Pearson," the woman answers, nodding at the redhead before turning on her heels.

"How did you get in here?" Harvey asks now, signalling the room.

"I'm Donna, I can do anything," she counters in a beat, half ignoring his question cause surely he must have seen the woman that directed her here. "Now do you want coffee or what?" she asks, already extending her right hand towards him.

"Fine," he mumbles giving in, taking the cup from her hand.

Jessica looks over her shoulder one more time, chuckling softly at the part of the conversation she overheard. She shakes her head and makes her way back down to the elevators at last.

"But seriously," Harvey continues again, taking a sip from the coffee she brought him and he frowns at the taste of it.

"Vanilla."

He nods, takes another sip now. "What's the occasion?"

She shrugs, takes a sip of her own coffee. "Can't I just visit a friend at work?"

"Have you ever before?"

She rolls her eyes, muttering a 'shut up' under her breath.

He lets out a sigh, bites his tongue for a moment as he studies her. "What's going on?"

"Nothing really," she mumbles, with a shake of her head. She turns to face him, catches the way he crooks his head indicating he doesn't believe her and she shrugs again. "I was out with the rest after school," she tells him, sipping her coffee. "You know just shopping and they were all talking about their -" she pauses, can't get the word over her lips. "I don't even know why it bothered me that much. Anyway, I thought I'd bring you coffee."

He smiles, decides not to push any further. "Thanks."

She turns around, paces around the mailroom and looks up and down the shelving. Her hand tracing over the boxes, incoming and outcoming mail. "So this is where the magic happens, " she speaks just loud enough for him to hear.

He nearly chokes on his sip of coffee. "Magic," he mumbles in a cough. He brings his hand to his mouth, coughing twice more to clear his throat but the confused look is still present on his face when he finds his voice again. "Really?"

"Well," she half laughs, observing the room again to find evidence to back up her previous comment. "It's sort of dark, closed off and secluded," she summarises the room, turning to face him again she leans against one of the carts.

"Why the sudden interest in this room?" He counters, throwing his cup in the bin from the place they were still standing, he eyes her suspiciously.

"Nothing, just curious," she answers, shrugging once. She one-ups her previous comment then. "Do you think people ever used this room as a secret place to hook up?"

He raises an eyebrow in surprise, he's got no clue why she's making these comments but it amuses him. He uncrosses his arms next, taking a step towards her, she's now cornered between the cart and his body. He doesn't entirely know why he acts the way he does, his hands now falling on the push bar of the metal cart on either side of her body, it's always a game between them, both wanting to win. The teasing, toeing a line and sometimes it gets more serious and flirtatious than they're used to. "I don't know," he answers, a smirk spreading on his face when his gaze meets hers. "But we could set precedent."

"Ooh you'd wish," she counters with a laugh but she's the one to look away though.

"Harvey," his boss calls for him and he steps back immediately. "Stop flirting with your girlfriend and get on with this new box of mail."

He swallows thickly. "I ... She's not," he stammers. "Yeah, okay," he answers finally, walking off to get the box. He lets out another breath, not sure what just happened between them. What sparked her to make these sudden comments and where his reaction came from, why he even said it and what it all means, could mean or doesn't mean.

She shakes her head and in a way her previous comment away. Rocking back and forth on her feet, she uses her hands to push herself back on her feet. Feet scraping over the floor, she takes two slow steps and stalls behind him. "Need a hand?"

He looks over his shoulder, notices her signalling the box. "I'll be fine," he answers with a shake of his head, turning around with the box now.

She opens her mouth to speak but closes it again when he walks past her. She swallows now, not sure what to say. What caused the sudden change, if it had been her answer but he'd played along or if it was his boss calling for his attention. She lets out a breath now, follows him back to the table. "I'm happy to help."

"If you insist."

She smiles now, demonstratively taking the box from his hands. "So, what do you need me to do?"

He crooks his head, studying her for a moment. Wonders how she can switch whatever their earlier moment was off just like that and he forces himself to think about a task for her. "That's a box of outgoing mail," he states then. "It needs to be sorted on whether it stays in the state or not."

"Okay," she answers him. "I can do that."

-xxx-

"Hmmm."

He frowns but doesn't look up from his own task. "What?"

"Looks like you missed a letter days ago." She lifts the piece of paper from the box and moves it up and down in front of his face.

"What?" he repeats now, her words and actions getting his attention. "I never miss one."

"The date," she comments, tapping against the corner of the paper. "It's dated last Saturday and you worked that afternoon."

His brows knit together in a deeper frown this time around, leaving the box he was rummaging through on the table his attention now fully directed on the letter she showed him. "I didn't miss that."

"Looks like you did."

"No, I didn't," he rebuts the redhead's words instantly. He looks to his side then, rolling his eyes once at the look she gives him. "They check the boxes every day," he adds realising he owes her an explanation. "We're not allowed to go home unless it's all done. Besides, if it got in late it would have been handled the day after not today."

She swallows, thinks his explanation is valid and her curiosity is sparked by the look on his face. "What are you saying?"

He shrugs, not entirely sure what's going on. "Something is off with this."

She nods. "What are you going to do about it?"

He draws his bottom lip between his teeth, thinks for a moment and then signals for her to follow him with a bob of his head. She follows him, making their way back to the halls she walked before. She finds herself studying the numbers on the elevator panel, it presenting over fifty options. Before she can ask he presses the one on the top, telling her that's where the law firm he works for is located.

She nods once more, looks up at the display and counts down the numbers till they reach their destination. She steps out of the metal box right after him, glances to the right first and reads the name on the wall. Gordon Schmidt Van Dyke.

"You coming?"

His question wakes her from her thoughts and she turns around, nodding at him once before following him again. "Who are we looking for?" she asks then when he forgoes stopping at the reception but turns to the right.

He shrugs, not really sure either. "Figured the woman that helped you," he admits looking left and right to the offices. Taking in the people inside, he focusses on the engraved names on the office doors. "What was her name again?"

"Pearson," she replies, looking around too. "Jessica Pearson, we haven't walked by her office yet," she adds, now pointing in the distance. "Look."

He adjusts his focus, following her line of sight. Now spotting the woman he saw earlier this morning in a small office on the right. He smiles then, glances back at the redhead next to him and urges her to move forward with his shoulder. She follows him, but stalls right in front of the office. Holding the letter up again she presses it against his chest.

He freezes on the spot at her sudden touch, barely manages to grasp on the piece of paper before it falls on the ground and avoiding her touch at the same time. "What?" he mutters now, gaze narrowing in on her again.

"You're the one that works here, mister."

He lets out a breath, his grasp on the letter tightening. He counts to three and steps forward, back of his hand falling against the glass door in three firm knocks he waits for the woman to look up before he enters the small office.

Jessica shifts in her chair, watches the young man enter. "The mail room boy."

"Uhm." He's brought of his game already. "Harvey Specter."

Jessica smiles, remembers the name now from the redheaded girl telling her so about an hour ago. "And why are you here?" she asks now, using her hands to signal her office.

He steps forward, placing the letter on her desk. "The postage is backdated. I think the firm should file for misconduct."

The young man's words catch the lawyer's interest, surprised he mentions misconduct but then again the lad's friend had told her he might want to be a lawyer. She pulls the piece of paper towards her and lets her gaze skim over the content. "And you found this?"

"Actually, it was my friend," he answers, pointing over his shoulder to the redhead outside. "But yes."

Jessica smiles again, turns around in her chair and looks beside the young man to the redheaded girl outside and back to Harvey. "She seems very special."

He presses his lips together in a thin line, nods once. "She is," he answers, a hint of pride palpable in his voice. He lets out another deep breath, not entirely sure where to take the conversation from here, his task finished. "Well uhm…" he pauses. "I should go back to work."

"I'll take care of this," the junior partner promises with a nod, watches the young man turn around again before she continues with her work.

Donna hears the door open and close again, she turns on her spot in the hallway of the fiftieth floor to face him. "Done?"

He bobs his head up and down, walks towards her. His head crooks to the right when he spots the grin plastered on her face. "What?" he inquires.

She laughs once, nudges his arm with her shoulder and signals an office down the hall with a bob of her head. "See that lawyer over there," she whispers. "He's sleeping with his secretary."

He frowns, looks in the distance and watches the two older people talk for a moment. Nothing out of the ordinary or romantic in his book. "How do you know that?"

"Ooh, just look at them."


	7. Chapter 7 - Diners & Shitty Thai Places

DonnaRSpecter, DonnaSpecter, DonnaPSpecter (yes I had to check twice if I got that right) Lovefordarvey and Malagenabolakaful thank you so much for your reviews, love reading them and they're a huge inspiration. This update took a bit longer cause I got stuck in chapter 8 for 2 weeks (I promised myself I only get to update when I have the next chapter done).. but here it is and I hope you like it. Let me know you what you think. X - M

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **CHAPTER 7: DINERS AND SHITTY THAI PLACES**

* * *

She looks down, places one foot in front of the other, kicking a stray twig over the sidewalk. Letting it rest when in lands in a puddle, she hums then as some sort of response to his words, she isn't even sure what he's telling her. Her mind too preoccupied with what Katrina said earlier, still finds it hard to believe she missed all this. She frowns and glances to the side, interrupting whatever it was he was saying when she speaks. "Did you know Paula moved back to England?"

He frowns at the sudden change of subject, turns to the right on the corner of the street. "Yeah," he answers at last, with a shrug. Still doesn't understand why she brought this up. "Tanner wouldn't shut up about it."

She stalls for a moment, this maybe surprising her even more. "You knew?" she inquires, the words sounding more like an insult though. She takes two big steps to catch up with him again. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He looks at her again, her question confusing him even more than the subject. He never had to tell her a thing. "Well," he mumbles, shrugging once. "You're you, so."

She presses her lips together in a thin line, bites on her bottom lip and she nods at his words. Can't really argue with them, it's how things are. It's what they joked about last Sunday when they talked about her running for class president. She pulls on the sleeves of her emerald jacket now, folding it around her hands. She crosses her arms in front of her chest as she tries to catch up with his steps.

He looks to his right when her there isn't a verbal answer. "You're freezing," he states, bringing his hand to the zipper of his own jacket.

"No, I'm not." She stops his actions with one pointed look even before she pronounced the words. "It's fine," she reasons, bringing one sleeve-clad arm to her face. She wipes her hair and a few raindrops out of her face.

He shakes his head. "Look," he starts, pointing down the street. "There's a diner down the street. Let's get some food and wait for the rain to blow over."

She sighs, contemplates his suggestions as she tries to avoid the puddles on the sidewalk. "But we're three blocks away from the subway."

He lets out a sigh at her reasoning, spotting the diner once more. Now only a few feet away from them, it only makes him realise how hungry he really is and that he shouldn't work through his break. "Yeah." He shrugs. "But I'm hungry. Come." He reaches for her arm, now gently pulling her with him as he takes a step to the left, pushing the door to the establishment open. "I'm buying."

She nearly loses her balance by his movement. Her shoulder bumping into his chest, she takes two steps forward and skips inside the diner. She can't deny that the place looks rather cosy with the 50's theme going on and the music playing in the background.

His hand leaves her arm the second they're inside and in between signalling for her to move forward, he briefly clenches his hand. He follows the redhead through the little diner, moving to one of the booths on the side. He mirrors her move by taking off his wet jacket, hanging it over the edge and sliding over the bench.

"You've been here before?"

He shakes his head. "No. Only walked pasted it on my way home but I'm hungry, so..." He pulls the menus from the stand, handing one to her and he lets his gaze roam over the piece of paper in his hand.

"You know…" she starts again, hand tapping on the table. Ignoring the menu for now. "You didn't have to miss the goodbye party because of me."

He shrugs. "Don't think I missed anything."

She rolls her eyes at his disinterest, lifts the menu from the table and finally studies its content just like Harvey had been doing for the past few minutes. "You could at least pretend to care," she adds under her breath.

He bites the inside of his cheek, keeps his gaze locked on the piece of paper in his hand but he already knows what he's going to order. "You needed me," he answers even more quietly.

An older woman nears the booth before Donna gets a chance to respond, not that she knows what to answer anyway and she silently thanks the woman for her timing. The waitress pulls out a small notebook from her apron, she smiles at the two young people in front of her. "What will it be?"

"Uhm," Harvey mumbles and looks up from the menu. "A cheeseburger and a coke, please."

She glances back at the menu, taking the options in one more time. "A cheeseburger and a vanilla milkshake, please," she orders, placing the menu back in the metal stand. She catches his gaze resting on her frame and she slowly turns to look back at him. One eyebrow raised, she tilts her head to the right. "What?"

He grins, shakes his head. "Nothing," he chuckles. "Solid choice."

She rolls her eyes, looks away. "Otherwise I'd end up eating your order anyway."

He laughs loudly, he remembers his comment from a while back. Pointing out exactly that, he shakes his head snickering once more. He leans back in the booth when the waitress brings their drinks and the two plates of cheeseburgers a couple of minutes later. They quietly smile at the older woman, both focussing on the plates in front of them after that.

She licks her lips, feels her stomach rumble now that the food is sitting right in front of her and she has to admit it was a good idea to grab something to eat first before going home. She glances back up, catches him sipping his drink. Her gaze lands on the fries on his plate then and even though there are some on her own she can't help but reach forward and steal one from his plate.

He taps her hand away, continues to sip his drink as he pretends to not have noticed any of this happening but he can't help but glance at her to take in her reaction. He catches the sparkle in her eyes and they both laugh.

He watches her lift her hands in the air then, signalling surrender. An indication that she won't steal any other food from his plate. He chuckles once more, taking another sip of his coke he takes the teasing one step further. Narrowing his gaze in on her, almost waiting for her to start on her burger.

She looks down at her plate, has to use both her hands to lift the burger. She presses her lips together in a thin line, shows him a fake smile and takes one bite. Her brows instantly knitting together in a frown, she cringes and places the burger back. She takes a sip from her milkshake and lifts the top bun with her other hand.

He pushes his plate over the small table towards hers. "Come on," he nudges and she looks up at him. He leans forward, steals the big slice of pickle from her burger with his hand and eats it in an instant. "Mmmm."

She rolls her eyes at him, demonstratively placing the top bun back on her burger. "You're disgusting."

He grins, licks his fingers now. "Delicious."

She sighs loudly, taking the burger back in both of her hands she takes a big bite. This time her eyes close in appreciation and a hum leaves her lips.

He smirks, bites the inside of his cheek and softly shakes his head. He looks down at his own plate, focussing on his food. They eat the rest of their meal in a comfortable silence.

-xxx-

Mike steps out of the classroom, a pleased smile spread across his face he looks down at the paper in his hand, a bigger grin forming when he looks at the grade in the top right corner. He looks back up now, makes his way through the halls to his locker but mostly in search for his lab partner, spotting the baseball player in the distance.

The new kid dodges Mitchell and Logan on his way over, he nods at Louis whom he's grown to like this first month though he doesn't fully understand the man's obsession with cats. He takes the last three steps, now stopping near Harvey who for once is using his own locker. He slams the paper against the metal door of a locker next to Harvey. "Told you I'm the best lab partner there is."

Harvey looks up and to the left, glances briefly at the piece of paper in Mike's hand. He doesn't comment, merely crooks his head.

Rachel chuckles at the confused look on Mike's face, having overheard the little exchange she joins the two guys. Her elbow bumping into Mike's when she speaks. "You do realise he'll never think that," she muses to Mike, teasing Harvey in the process but they all know there's a truth to her words.

"Ooh," Mike scoffs. "Yeah, but that's -"

Harvey snatches the paper from Mike's hand now. "Not that I don't appreciate this," he pauses and taps on the corner of the paper, referring to the A+ they got, he closes his locker. "But I got to run. Practice."

Rather speechless by the sudden leaving of his friend, Mike stares into the distance with his mouth left agape for a moment. He then turns back to look at Rachel, now pressing his lips into a thin line. Both know the subject they hinted at but neither truly knows if that was the reason for the man's behaviour. He looks at her then, opening his mouth again to say something but she beats him to it.

"Hi."

"H- Hi."

"Rachel. Practice." The head cheerleader walks past the two, hooking her arm around Rachel's she drags her with her as she keeps walking, only coming to a halt at the end of the hallway. She smiles at her friend now, pleased with herself. "You're welcome."

"What?"

"I saved you," Scottie answers, now letting go of her friend's arm. She bobs her head in the direction of the new kid, giving the brunette a look.

Rachel turns her head to look back, spotting Mike still standing near his locker. "Ooh you mean Mike?" she asks now. "He's nice."

Dana quirks an eyebrow at Rachel and studies her face. The way she bites her bottom lip trying to hide a smile, the glances. "Wait," she mutters now, looking back and forth at her friend and the guy she's seen a few times but barely really spoke too. "You like him."

Rachel feels a blush creep up on her cheeks, she looks away for a moment. "I…"

"Yeah, you do," Dana chirps now, hooking her arm around Rachel's again as she continues their walk to cheer practice. "Well I'm sorry for stealing you away then," she apologises for her earlier behaviour but in her way, she was looking out for a friend. "But we can't make it easy for him can we now."

Rachel chuckles at that and follows Dana out of the building to the practice. "I guess we can't."

-xxx-

She pulls her feet up, settles back into the armchair. Box of noodles from the shitty Thai play she loves in her hands, she pushes the content around with her chopsticks. They paused writing their application letters and figuring out a plan for Donna's run for class president for dinner an hour ago, both just prolonging this moment to avoid focussing on the serious stuff for a moment. They'd been working on college applications all day already anyway.

He takes the last bite from his box, dropping the fork he used on one of the plates on the coffee table. He folds the box back together, tosses it on the table as well. He watches her for a moment, the way she lifts the chopsticks from the boxes, rolls the noodles around it and eats it in one go. He never learned that skill no matter how many times she showed him. He chuckles quietly, shakes his head for no apparent reason but to clear his head. He leans forward then, reaches for his notepad. He tries to focus on his writing while he waits for her to finish her meal.

He catches her twist the chopsticks between her fingertips from the corner of his eye, a soft sigh escapes his lip and he drops the notepad on his lap. Words on the tip of his tongue, he bites on his bottom lip. Going over them again and again, he tries to find a moment and maybe, more importantly, a way to speak. It unsettling him so much he ends up blurting it out. "I need your help."

She looks up in surprise, dropping the two wooden sticks back in the cardboard box. Wide-eyed she stares at him for a moment. "What?" she asks unsure now. "I thought you were going to help me with the campaign," she adds, signalling the caricature sketches he made of her on the table. ' _I'm Donna. I know, vote for me,'_ written on them in his handwriting.

He swallows, shakes his head. "Not with this," he clarifies, bobbing his head in the direction of the table. "But I do need your help."

She stares at him for a moment, takes in his words and the tone he used. She swallows, decides to let go of the fact that this is the first time he actually asked for her help. "Who is it?"

"Dad."

"His birthday," she fills in, knows the man's turning fifty in two weeks.

"Yeah – Marcus and I want to do something special."

She looks at him, nods in encouragement. She knows by the way he's bringing it up that he's not drawing completely blank but has something in mind. Needs her words of approval to make sure it's okay. "What do you have in mind?"

"Do – Do you remember how dad used to make us take pictures every year?"

She smiles brightly now, remembers the moments he's referring to. How his old man always had the boys sit down and take pictures for every special event, how he ended up involving her in the pictures too until all of them were too old and busy to willingly let the Specter man have his go with his camera. "You want to take new ones?" she guesses. "Or recreate old ones like you see on Facebook a lot now. He'd like that."

Harvey bobs his head slowly up and down, contemplates her suggestions. Them being the same as his younger brother suggested, he can really only agree as he doesn't have a better idea himself. Before he can answer an infant like cry echoes through the room.

Her eyes widen at the sudden appearance of the sound, she turns to look at him. Confusion written all over her face as she's taken off guard. It's becoming a habit these days and she's all but pleased about it. "What is _that_?"

He rolls his eyes when the sound reverberates through the living room again, he sighs and pushes himself to his feet. "It's Marcus' project."

"Ooh," she recalls. "I remember that. Biology."

"Yeah," he mutters, stepping over his backpack he rounds the table. "He left that thing here and went to – her."

She nods once, acknowledging his words while he walks out of the room. She only swallows and bites down on the corner of her bottom lip when he's out of her sight. She chooses not to comment on the last part of his explanation, knows how much of a struggle it is for him. Day in day out, the fact that he can't even pronounce her name a dead giveaway. She waits for him to return now.

He holds the robotic baby doll in his hands, arms stretched as far as they can possibly go. His brows are knitted together and she chuckles at the annoyed look on his face. "It's not going to stop crying if you hold it like that."

"What do you want me to do? Give it hug?"

She stops herself from rolling her eyes. "How did you pass this class?"

He sighs, his eyes closing in the process and he reluctantly gives in. He moves the doll up and down, soothing it and to both his horror and relief the crying stops.

Donna smirks at the exchange in front of her.

He catches the amused glint in her eyes, crooks his head in return. He takes two steps forward, rounds the table again and places the still quiet doll on the couch, lifting his fingers from the item with utmost precision. Anything to not trigger it into crying again, he quietly sits down again.

-xxx-

"Aaaargh," he nearly yells, dropping his notepad back on the table when the doll starts crying again. His own reaction only triggering the object further, louder cries now coming from it. He pulls out his phone, gives the doll a death stare as he waits for his brother to answer his call but he's directed to the younger man's voicemail instead. "Marcus Cornelius, where the hell are you?"

She watches him, notices how his patience is running thin. His brother ignoring him one thing, the little noisy intruder another. She shifts to the edge of her seat, reaches forward for the doll and places it back on her lap.

"Don't," he warns, giving her a stern look.

She looks back up at him, head tilted to the side. "Do you want Marcus to fail?"

"No," he admits, ending the call after leaving a voicemail message. "I just want it to stop crying."

She rocks the doll back and forth on her knees, the motion this time not seeming to calm the doll down in any shape, way or form. She gets up then, carrying the object with her as she makes her way back to the kitchen where she assumes Harvey found it in the first place. She finds a bag like the one she got herself with the project years ago on the table and she uses the contents to change the dolls diaper and feed it.

He taps his fingers against the armrest of the couch, checks his watch as she stays away longer than he expected. He's about to call out for her when she returns. The doll held in one arm, pressed against her frame. She talks to it, using a different tone, she makes faces and all.

"Ooh god," he mutters under his breath, his head tilting he studies her for a moment. "You do know it's a doll, right?" he counters now.

"Yeah," she agrees, walking around the table to the couch he's sitting on. She pulls one leg up and sits down next to him, now holding the doll up in front of him.

"What – are you doing?" His face falls into a frown.

"It's _your_ niece," she muses, urging him to take the doll from her hands.

"Niece?" he repeats, almost choking on the word.

"It's a girl."

"It's a doll."

"Emily."

"You named the doll?"

She shakes her head, holding the doll up in front of him once more. "Marcus did," she tells him with a bright smile. "It was in his report."

He looks at her sceptically but finally takes the doll from her hands. His gaze briefly flickers up and down between the doll and the redhead. "Corny named it?"

"Her," she answers in a beat. "And you should stop calling Marcus Corny, _Reggie_."

"Her," he corrects his question, ignoring the second part of her statement and the doll lets out a cry as if it answers on its own. He lets out a sigh, eyes the doll again. "Donna… I –"

"Just hold her," she suggests with a wave of her hand. She bobs her head up and down when he looks at her, wondering if she's serious and she watches him bring Emily to his chest, his hand now patting the back of the doll.

"He did," she answers his former question now. She shifts over the couch, pressing her right knee against the backrest she pulls out her phone.

He catches her movement from the corner of his eye. "What are you doing?"

"Ooh," she chuckles, opening up her camera application. "This is just too good," she chirps snapping one or two pictures of him. She quickly puts it away again before he can manage to steal it from her and delete the evidence.

"If you show that to anyone," he warns now. "I will tell them about that time –"

"Okay, okay. Alright," she cuts him off. "I promise." She places her hand against her chest. "Scouts honour."

He bobs his head to the side, shaking it once. "Let's just watch a movie, okay?"

.

His head bobs down, chin nearly hitting his chest and his eyes widen in a beat. He blinks twice, brings his head back up and he looks at the television again. He tries to focus on the movie once more but it's not catching his interest enough to prevent him from dozing off again in a couple of minutes.

He feels her gaze burn his skin then or he thinks he feels so and his jaw clenches instantly. He counts to three in his head just to make sure his tiredness didn't make him imagine things. She was never the one to direct her gaze off the screen, he knows that all too well.

He turns to look at her from the corner of his eye now, his gaze meeting hers and he swallows when she smiles. "What?"

"Nothing."

He huffs and shakes his head, doesn't feel like pushing her for an answer but he knows her words aren't all that's too it. He looks back at her now, gaze narrowing in on her. Just a look to let her know he knows better than that.

"Your niece likes you," she answers this time, signalling the doll on his chest with a bob of her head.

He chuckles now, didn't know what he expected her answer to be, what he wanted it to be but this falls somewhere in between all of that. His eyes close and he smiles softly, now letting himself slide down the couch a little he props his feet up on the coffee table. He glances down at the baby doll once, can't be bothered to put it elsewhere in case it starts making a noise again. He looks at the redhead once more. "You think I'm going to end up with a niece named Emily one day?"

She smiles at that and she lets her head rest on her right arm that's leaning against the backrest of the couch. "You might."

.

Gordon opens the hatchback of his car, leaning inside to lift his Saxophone from the trunk. Case in hand, he pushes the hatchback down with his elbow and locks it. Looking up at the house on his way over to the door he frowns when he notices the lights aren't turned on. He climbs the three steps, glancing at the house on the left, he figures his son and maybe even both of his sons may be there.

Turning his car keys over in his hand, he brings his house key to the front and unlocks the door. Placing the case with his saxophone at the foot of the stairs, he shrugs off his denim jacket before he makes his way to the kitchen. Once there, he notices the bright flickering light coming from the television in the living room. He chuckles to himself, realising he was wrong about his previous assumption about his sons' whereabouts.

Gordon turns to the right, his feet coming to a halt on the threshold between the two rooms. The sight taking him off guard, he can't help but grin at the two best friends fallen asleep on the couch. The redhead curled up and leaning against the backrest with her side, her head propped up against her arm. His son spread out half over the couch and table, the thing that confuses him the most though is the way Harvey's arm is wrapped around a baby and he can't help but chuckle at that. Remembers the annoyance and cursing this particular school project caused years ago.

His eyes flicker open in a beat, he finds himself staring at his father and for a moment he feels disorientated. The light coming from the television too bright, he blinks twice and feels his back aching. He pushes himself up, only remembering the baby doll on his chest when it rolls down. He holds it tight, now realising he must have fallen asleep during the movie and he looks to his left now, his gaze landing on the sleeping redhead. He swallows once feeling a knot starting to form in his stomach, he remembers his father's presence and he instantly redirects his gaze, pushing himself to sit up further. He looks to his left again. "Donn," he speaks quietly.

She groans, pries one eye open to locate the source that's waking her. She finds him looking at her and notices the way he bobs his head in the other direction. She instantly lifts her head from her arm, Gordon now coming into sight she leans away from him. "Ooh god. I fell asleep," she mutters, pushing herself up from the couch, her gaze shifts from Gordon to the table to Harvey and back, she quickly reaches for her backpack and stuffs her notebooks inside. "I need to go," she announces now, rounding the table, she smiles at his father and looks over her shoulder once more time at Harvey. "See you tomorrow."

Harvey nods once and Gordon wishes the redhead a goodnight when she walks past him, the older Specter man turns his head. Let's his gaze follow her, just to make sure she gets out okay. He waits until he hears the door open and close again before he faces his son. "I know I've been gone a lot with these shows but I didn't expect coming back to you two having a kid."

Harvey rolls his eyes and looks down at the doll on his lap, he lets out a fake laugh. "It's Marcus's," he counters. "Just babysitting," he adds with a smirk but it doesn't result in the riled up comment from his father as he expected. He pushes the doll to the corner of the couch now, it having been so silent all this time he forgot the fact it responds and he near jumps at the cries. "Aaargh, stupid doll."

Gordon laughs, turns around on his spot now that Harvey pushes past him. He follows him to the hallway and calls after his son. "Where's your brother?"

Harvey looks over his shoulder, stomps his way up the stairs. "With her."


	8. Chapter 8 - The Photo Album

**Hi everyone, thank you so much for your reviews. LOVE THEM. I really wanted to finish chapter 9 first before updating, but I'm a bit stuck on that one so I thought I might as well go ahead and update anyway. This chapter is a bit longer than the last, but I'm sure you won't mind. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. X - M**

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **CHAPTER 8: THE PHOTO ALBUM**

* * *

He paces up and down the driveway, tries to clear his mind and gather his courage. He looks back up at his father's house, lets out a deep breath and turns on his spot again. This time making his way straight to the front door of the neighbours. He brings his balled fist up to the door and knocks three times before he can talk himself out of it again.

He hears the sound of the doorknob turning and he lets out another breath, quickly looking down at the ground. He rocks back and forth on his spot, holding the photo album tightly pressed against his side. When the door fully opens he looks back up but instead of his best friend he finds himself staring at her mother. His mouth slowly parts in confusion, wants to say something but he can't find the words.

"She's still at rehearsal."

"Ooh yeah," he mutters his answer. Shakes his head, wonders why he didn't think of that.

Martha presses her lips into a thin line and smiles, she holds the door further open and steps aside. "Come on in," she suggests now. "She should be back in a minute or ten."

He smiles softly, enters the house and follows Martha through the residence to the kitchen. He places the album on the dining room table and sits down, now watching his best friend's mother make her way back to the kitchen.

Martha pulls out two cups from the cabinet and reaches for the kettle. She briefly looks over her shoulder in the young man's direction. "Want a cup of tea?" she asks, already pouring both cups.

"Yes. Thank you."

Martha grins at her correct assumption and she takes both cups in her hand, turning around she crosses the five steps between the kitchen and the table Harvey's sitting at. She places one cup down, sliding it over the table to him before she pulls a chair back and sits down opposite of him.

Harvey smiles softly, reaches for the cup and wraps both his hands around it to warm them up. He redirects his gaze from Martha to the clock hanging on the kitchen wall and the photo album he carried with him on the table at last.

Martha takes a sip of her tea, contemplates whether to address the object he brought along. She looks at the book for a moment, remembers what her daughter told her. "Donna told me about the gift for your father."

He snorts with laughter, not even surprised and he nods in acknowledgement. "Yeah, Marcus liked her idea of recreating the old pictures," he tells Martha. "So I thought…" He taps on the album to explain why he brought it with him.

"Have you made a selection yet?"

Harvey shakes his head, he lets out a sigh and his shoulders slump in the process. "No," he answers. "I haven't – I can't."

Martha studies the boy next door for a moment, takes in the look on his face. She recognises the expression in his eyes from little over a year ago, knows the reason for that look and she also knows it's best not to push the subject any further.

"She – she's in there," he mutters now. "And I don't …"

"Opening that book doesn't mean you're forgiving her, Harvey," Martha states then, pausing she waits for the young man to look up at her. "Nor does it mean forgetting what happened," she adds, placing her hand on the photo album. "Just remember who you're doing this for."

Donna drops her bag in the hallway, pulls on the sleeves of her jacket and hangs it over the railing of the stairs. She pushes through the door now, makes a bee-line to the kitchen and her lips automatically curl up when she sees him. "Hey," she chirps, her hand tapping against the backrest of his chair, she pulls the chair next to him back and sits down.

Martha looks back and forth between her daughter and Harvey, her gaze resting on the young man again. She presses her lips into a thin smile to remember him of the words she spoke earlier. She nods at him once more before she pushes her chair back and leaves the two alone.

Donna eyes her mother curiously but she doesn't comment on the nonverbal exchange she witnesses. Instead, she waits for her to leave the room, now looking at her best friend again she notices the photo album on the dining room table. "You're doing the photo project?"

He shifts in his chair, head turning to the right to look at her. He leans on the table with his elbows on either side of the album. "Yeah," he answers. "It's just –"

"I can open it," she suggests in a beat. She gives him a small smile and looks down at the album in front of him. "If you want me to," she asks now, understanding his struggle. "Make sure it's a page without –"

"Her."

She flashes him a small smile in understanding and she nods once when his gaze locks with her's but she doesn't comment.

He swallows then, breaks their gaze and looks back down at the photo album. Now placing his right-hand on top of it, he slides it over the table in her direction.

She meets his gesture halfway, pulling the album towards her. She rests both of her hands on the edge for a moment, letting out a breath she looks at him again to make sure he's okay. When he nods she slowly lifts it up, making sure that he doesn't have a direct view of the content and she opens it somewhere in the middle now.

A smile spreads across her face at the picture inside, one of the three of them. Marcus on the left and Harvey on the right with the redhead in between the two brothers. His right-arm wrapped around her shoulder like her right-arm is wrapped around Marcus, her left hand tentatively placed against his face. "I remember this," she states, opening the album further and placing it back down on the table, she slides it towards Harvey for him to see.

He looks down at the picture and laughs. "That was my birthday."

-xxx-

"Ugh." Donna sighs loudly, dropping her highlighter back on the table.

Scottie looks up from her notes at the sudden sound interrupting the music she was listening to. She pulls on the cord of her headphone and takes in the frustrated look on her friend's face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really," Donna mutters, looking up across the table. "Just trying to decide which campaign points to emphasize," she explains regardless and she signals the list with scribbles in front of her.

Scottie nods, pushing her chair back she gets up from her spot at the cafeteria table and walks around it to take place next to the redhead. "Need help?"

"You'd help me?"

Dana fakes a hurt look, her hand playfully slapping against Donna's shoulder. "Don't act so surprised."

"That's," Donna starts, chuckling once because that's not what she meant at all. "I just meant since you're running too."

The head cheerleader shrugs, pulling Donna's notes towards her. "You helped me with my flyers last year, least I can do is go over this with you now and don't worry, I'm not going to steal any ideas," she adds with a laugh, holding her hands up in the air. "I'm pretty sure we want the same things already anyway."

The redhead presses her lips together in a small smile and nods once. She knows from previous years that what they want to accomplish for their school is rather similar.

Scottie leans forward and reaches for her own binder now, placing it next to Donna's she flips through the pages to show her what she'd been working on. How she'd categorised her points, from most important to least. She explains how even if something isn't the thing you find most important, you also need to add something to the program everyone can relate to. "As much as I'd like a better location for cheer practice, it's not something people will vote for."

Donna nods in understanding and she looks down at her notes. Realises what's cheerleading for the brunette is acting for her. She reaches the third item on her list now, highlighting it as she speaks.

"Prom," both girls state at the same time and Donna chuckles at the way the brunette shakes her head after. "Thanks, Dana."

"No problem," Scottie answers sincerely. "You know," she starts now, thinking over something. "If I happen to win, I'd love for you to be vice-president."

"Same," Donna replies in a deal, extending her hand and Scottie shakes it.

Harvey frowns at the sight of the two girls shaking hands in front of him, he knows they're friends but it doesn't mean it's a common thing to witness and if anything it makes him feel slightly uncomfortable. He holds onto the stack of papers in his hands a little tighter before stepping forward and making his presence known. "You two better not be ganging up against me."

Donna recognises his voice instantly and laughs loudly.

The brunette, however, narrows her gaze on Harvey, a smirk spreading across her lips. "What if we were."

"In that case, I'll come back later," he answers in a beat, already turning on his spot to emphasize his words.

"Hold your horses, mister," Donna calls after him, raising her hand in the air she points at him now that he slowly turns around again. "Are those my posters?" she inquires, waving her hand as if she tries to grab them.

He smiles softly, shakes his head at her reaction. "Yes, they are," he answers, walking back to her side of the table. He places the stack of paper down in front of her, turning one over to show how it turned out.

"I'll leave you two to it," Dana comments, tapping her hand on the table twice now that she remembers an appointment. She pushes her chair back and walks back to her original spot. Once there she collects her belongings and stuffs them in her backpack. "Got to pick up my buttons."

Donna smiles and wishes her good luck.

Harvey turns half on his spot, watches the brunette walk away before he faces his best friend again. "Buttons?" he asks unsure, brows knitting together in a deep frown he thinks over the possible answers.

"Yeah," she chirps. "You know buttons to hand out for her campaign. I got posters, she's got buttons."

He hums in acknowledgement and shuffles on his spot, now turning to lean against the table. He looks down at the posters in front of her once more, his gaze shifting between the papers and her. "Like it?"

She bobs her head up and down, a bright smile gracing her lips as she takes in the caricature he drew of her and indeed the line they joked about written under it. She traces the lines with her fingertips, she is still in awe both of his talent and just the fact that he made this for her. She knows he dropped the class his mother taught at their school, knows he never looked back even after Lily moved to another district when the divorce was finalised. She's pretty sure he never even so much as picked up a pencil. "It's perfect," she speaks softly, glancing back up at him. "Thank you."

He nods once and gives her a lopsided grin, doesn't have to thank her for not stating the thing only she knows. His head crooks further to the side now, taking in the way her eyes widen and her smile turns into a smirk, his own brows already knitting together in anticipation of what's to come.

"There's no baseball practice today. Right?"

He shakes his head. "No. Why?"

"That means you have time to help me hang up these bad boys," she counters with an overly excited smile. She already pushes her chair back before he can object, lifting the stack of posters from the table and handing them over to him again.

.

He hands her the tape back, taking one of the posters from the stack and holds it up against the wall. Hands spreading out over the material to reach the corners, he looks at her again, bobs his head up and down to signal her to secure it.

She rolls off the tape, uses her teeth to cut off a piece and she steps closer again. Taping the top left corner first, she repeats the process stretching her arm she leans in between him and the wall to reach the other corner.

He swallows, wrinkles his nose and takes a small step back when her ponytail tickles his skin but his movement is undone by her hand brushing against his and he freezes on the spot. His throat suddenly dry and his heart skips a beat.

"Harv."

He blinks once, her voice waking him up from his thoughts but he isn't sure what she was referring to or if her sentence consisted of more words than just his name. "Huh?"

She tries to look over her shoulder, her brows bend together in confusion as she watches him. A soft laugh leaving her lips when she notices he's even more confused than she is. She taps his wrist with the back of her hand again now, returning to her task. "Move or I'll tape your hand to the wall too."

"Ooh," he mutters, pulling his hand away upon her request. He scrapes his feet over the floor, taking another step away from her now too and his hand balls into a fist on its way down.

Scottie lets out a sigh, biting down on the corner of her bottom lip. Her gaze inadvertently redirecting from the two down the hall to the box of buttons in her hand. She turns one over and mumbles something to herself, putting up a bright smile before she looks up again and steps forward.

"Vote Dana Scott," she tells a senior, handing the girl a button on her way through the hall. She repeats the three-word sentence with the next passer-by, handing one to Louis and Katrina. She turns on her spot, laughing when she promises a certain DJ for prom. She turns around once more, now reaching the redhead. She looks up at the posters on the wall behind her, presses her lips together in a thin smile and nods once at Donna, merely handing over a button before her opponent moves down the hall to the next spot.

Harvey rocks back and forth on the spot and watches the interaction for a moment. Doesn't think much of it and he's already lifted all the posters again when he realises the brunette completely ignored him. "Oi. "

The head cheerleader stalls on her spot, turning to look over her shoulder in his direction in a beat. "Oi?" she challenges him, her gaze narrowing in on him. She waits on her spot for him to draw closer.

"Yeah," he smirks, his look maybe even more quizzical than hers. He looks down at the box in her hands now, indicating it with a nod of his head he speaks again. "Why didn't I get one?"

Dana laughs once. She crooks her head to the side, gives him a look. Challenging him but at the same time wondering if he's genuinely asking. "I didn't think you'd vote for me."

He swallows, stays silent for a moment because he didn't anticipate her answer to be this but he gets the feeling that she means more with her statement than just her losing his vote this year. He thinks over his answer, letting out a breath before he speaks. "I'm just voting for the best campaign."

Scottie smirks, she knows the redhead's campaign is good. Almost if not just as good as her own and she really wouldn't mind losing to her friend, it's just that it's so easy to tease the guy in front of her.

"Whatever lets you sleep at night."

xxx -

Swinging the camera bag over her shoulder, Martha follows her daughter and the two boys from next door to the garden. She listens to the three young people converse or rather to her daughter explaining things to the brothers as they seat themselves at the picnic table in the back of the garden. She places the bag on the table, now slowly opening it up and taking out the camera as the two brothers go over the options for the picture once more. A few pre-selected pictures now being placed aside as the weather nor location won't allow it, the two boys decide to redo some pictures from Harvey's eleventh birthday. The younger man now also demanding they retake the picture with Donna, as she came up with this idea in the first place.

She watches her daughter frown at those words, Donna's gaze landing on her best friend. Martha can't hear what the young redhead is mumbling from her position but she recognises the tone being used, one Donna got from her. The shrug and look starting to spread over Harvey's face only confirms it. She removes the cap from the camera lens, scrolls through the options to check some settings while she looks at the small screen.

When her daughter laughs and turns to look in her direction she waves her off. "Fixing the settings," Martha answers. "You guys make sure you're ready, know how to pose," she adds, now bringing the camera up to snap some pictures of the three kids in the distance to check the lighting.

Donna laughs again, now directing the two boys. She tells them how to take their place on the picnic table, much like Gordon had made them years ago. Marcus sitting on top of the table and Harvey on the bench in front of it. The younger boy leaning with arms and head on top of the older one's head, only causing Harvey to frown and curse under his breath.

Martha steps forward now, with the camera in hand. "You ready?"

Donna nods enthusiastically, taking a few steps back she stands next to her mom. Holding a copy of the picture they're recreating in her hand, she switches her gaze from the image to the view in front of her and back.

"Harv, you need to turn a bit more to the right," she orders, signalling with her hand. "There. Perfect."

"RC 3 here is giving me a headache," he complains. "This is far from perfect."

"Hey, dickhead I didn't pick this one."

Martha lets out a breath, giving both boys a pointed look. She signals for them to get back into position.

"But it's so cute," Donna objects while her mother snaps a few pictures.

The continue the rest of the shoot, copying most of the pictures Gordon took that day of the boys. The images recreated as closely as possible, in position and clothing. The entire event the excellent opportunity for Donna to channel her directing skills she learned last summer. Martha watches proudly as she watches her daughter move back and forth. Compare the pictures to reality, how she now fixes Marcus position and Harvey's hair, she also notices the briefest of recoil on the oldest part and the glances that follow. It only reminds her of the conversation she had with her daughter weeks ago but she doesn't speak up. Instead, they continue the entire process a few more times.

"Done," Donna smiles brightly. She claps her hands once. "Gordon will love these."

"Oooh, no no no," Marcus objects instantly, reaching for the photo of the three of them. "We still got to do this one since you made us do this."

She lets out a breath, presses her lips into a thin line and steps forward. "Okay," she answers, confidence palpable in her tone of voice but the idea of recreating that picture makes her swallow. Especially after that one moment they shared at his work that they ignored ever since.

"Shoo," she orders, waving her hand for Marcus to move aside. She steps towards her two friends and turns to sit in between them on the bench of the picnic table. She hooks her arm around Marcus' shoulder, pulling him closer she rubs her hand over the boy she considers her younger brother's head. "There RC 3," she laughs, only getting an annoyed look in return.

"You two are the worst."

She glances to her left then, eyeing her very best friend and she catches herself failing to breathe for a moment. She knows he's supposed to wrap his arm around her shoulder and it shouldn't be a big deal because they're best friends after all but she can't help but feel a bit emotionally charged. Maybe for the first time actually realising that touching isn't something they do, a bump of a shoulder here or there but nothing more and suddenly it feels like a pretty big deal.

He swallows, remembers exactly what this picture looks like and if he has to pick it's one of his personal favourites but in this very moment, he hates this picture with every single fibre of his being. He glances down, drawing his bottom lip between his teeth, for the first time today unsure of what to do. Ask if it's okay, announce he's going to wrap his arm around his best friend's shoulder. It seems so out there for a gesture that would be considered trivial to most.

Maybe it's the silence, or the very short look they share, knowing it will be any second now before a comment will follow from either his or her family that they move.

She turns her side towards him, tilts her head to allow him to wrap his arm around her. His fingers brushing through her ginger locks, she finds herself swallowing because she can't place why this makes her feel the way that she feels. She covers that with lifting her left hand to his face, mirroring the position from the picture.

Her fingers brush against his skin, tracing a path from the corner of his mouth down his jaw to his ear. She can feel his jaw tense under her touch, her own heartbeat quacking now. She isn't sure what's causing the tingling feeling in her fingertips. Why it's becoming more difficult to breathe with every second that passes and she can only cover the motion that was already supposed to be a cover with words.

"You missed a spot shaving."

xxx -

He eyes the gym and glances over the tribune in search of her familiar red manes. His head turning to the right he looks at the row of chairs in the front for the candidates but his best friend is nowhere to be seen. Going over his options he looks down at his mobile phone, checks the time and he can't help but wonder where she is. He lets out a sigh ignores the questioning looks from his teammates and rushes forward to the brunette who is standing near the chairs but before he reaches the head cheerleader Rachel enters the room. Her wandering eyes catch his intention in a beat and he now makes his way over to her.

"Harvey –"

"Where is she?" he cuts her off. His gaze already shifting from his friend's face to somewhere in the distance, looking for the redhead once more.

"Outside, around the corner," Rachel offers, pointing at the two big doors behind her. "She wouldn't listen to me, so …" She pauses with a shrug, turning to face the guy she was looking for.

He looks back down at Rachel, presses his lips together in a thin line and nods once. Following the brunette's directions he makes his way out of the gym, he looks to his left first and then to his right. Catching a glimpse of her familiar red manes he slowly struts to the right and watches her pace up and down the hallway, mumbling an 'I can't do this' to herself.

"Picture them naked."

She freezes on the spot at the sudden comment, she turns around to look at the face that belongs to the familiar voice. Lifting her gaze, his words make her mind briefly wander to that one moment she saw him in the locker room. "What?" she mutters now, shaking her head to avoid looking at him.

"The crowd," he repeats, shuffling on his spot. He leans against the doorframe, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Before your speech. Picture them naked. Isn't that what they say?"

She chuckles this time. "That doesn't work."

He nods, bites on the corner of his bottom lip while he tries to come up with something else. "Look," he speaks, pushing himself away from the door he takes a step towards her. She straightens her back and looks back up at him. "Imagine this is a play." He turns on his spot now, signalling the gym with his right hand. "That there, that's your stage and your character is running for class president and your speech… Your speech is the lines you know by heart because you run through them every single day."

She chuckles softly and her eyes close for a moment as she revels in his words.

"You can do this, Debs."

"I can do this," she answers.

"Exactly," he chimes with a nod. "I know, I'm Harvey."

She rolls her eyes now, her hand playfully pushing against his arm. "Shut up, doofus," she laughs. "Now go. I'll be there."

He crooks his head, looking at her more intensely this time.

"I'll be there."

.

She listens to Dana ending her speech, hears her fellow classmates applaud and cheer. She brings her own hands together, clapping along now too for her friend. She watches the brunette make her way back to the chairs and the principle to the lectern to announce her name. Inhaling deeply, she looks down at the papers in her hand one more time.

"Also running for senior class president. Miss Donna Paulsen."

Exhaling now, she pushes herself onto her feet and puts on a bright smile while she walks herself over to where the principle had been standing just now. She places her notecard on the lectern and looks up at the crowd. "Hello fellow seniors," she starts. "My name is Donna Paulsen and I'm running for senior class president."

Rachel's cheer echoes through the room and she chuckles once, lifting her gaze to the tribune to give her friend a look she meets his gaze instead. The smalls smile plastered on his face and the nod that follows reminding her of his encouraging words from minutes ago. She lets go of the lectern now, smiling brighter as she continues with her speech. Addressing that most of her fellow classmates might know her as _that theatre girl_ and that even though she spent most of her time on stage, giving speeches isn't easy for her either but she's standing here today because it's for a cause. Because she wants to improve things at their school.

"Now you might wonder how can this theatre girl get things done in our school," she speaks, challenging herself. "But that very same girl did get the most popular guy of our year to help her hang up posters for her campaign. So surely, if I can do that. I can do anything."

He rolls his eyes and shakes his head at her comment. Gives her an annoyed glance in return when Mike's elbow pokes his arm at the same time Rachel snickers. And even though the majority of their class laughs at those words, he doesn't want to think of the meaning behind the two other reactions. If Mike just poked his arm because he knew the redhead referred to him or more. If Rachel's chuckle is because she knows he'd do anything for their friend if she asked or just because the rest is laughing too. He questions now if the reasoning behind these two reactions is the same as his own when it comes to helping the redhead and he finds himself wondering if maybe the reaction of the rest of the class is based on the same reasoning he doesn't want to define. If everyone knows something he doesn't know or if is it's all a coincidence.

This all causing him to tune out for a moment and when he wakes from his thoughts again she's talking about her leadership skills. How even though she doesn't have experience in the student council, she has helped with school productions since her very first year here. From supporting to leading roles to even directing, she's learned a lot of skills that can be applied to this position as well. He nods now, listening to her talk about how she's a listener. Likes to help people around her, always jumping in when necessary. How she reads and analyses situations, anticipates her friends' needs and could apply the same tactics as their class president.

"So vote for Donna Paulsen," the redhead concludes. "Thank you."

He smiles proudly, his hands clapping along with the rest applauding of his fellow classmates. It's Rachel and Louis' loud cheer this time that makes him laugh. Glancing to the right to his friends he gives them both an amused look before he redirects his gaze to the redhead once more. Winking at her when her gaze meets his as she looks over her shoulder in his direction. He continues clapping proudly while she walks back to the chairs with the other candidates.

xxx -

Donna groans once, rolling around on her side she clutches the hot water bottle against her lower stomach with her left hand to ease the pain. Extending her free arm, she reaches for her laptop and presses the play button on Netflix, continues watching The Addams Family.

Three firm knocks on her door wake her from her thoughts and a weak 'yeah' leaves her lips in response. She turns her head ever so slightly to the right, looking at the way her door opens and how he steps into her sight. "Ugh," she whines, pulling the blanket over her head to hide.

He chuckles softly at her act, takes two small steps inside her room but keeps standing at the foot of her bed. He waits two seconds for her to show herself again, but when she doesn't he decides to call her out on her love for a particular holiday. "Ooh god."

"What?" Muffled sounds come from underneath the blankets.

"You're watching that movie," he counters, signalling her laptop even though she can't see it. "That only means the most pointless holiday –"

"The best holiday," she cuts him off, pushing the duvet back again to show her face. She gives him a pointed look making him chuckle softly when she didn't see through his act, causing her to sigh again when she realises what he did.

"You okay?"

She lets out a sigh, pushing herself up into a sitting position. Her face briefly cringing together when she wraps an arm around her stomach. "I'm fine."

He crooks his head, giving her a small smile when he lets the handle of his backpack slip from his right shoulder. "I come bearing gifts."

"You?" she chuckles.

He nods, pulls on the zipper of his backpack and pulls out the notes he made during physics. He hands them over with a proud smile.

Donna leans forward, taking the papers from his hands with a shake of her head. "I thought you said you came bearing gifts."

He bobs his head up and down again, reaching into his backpack once more. This time he pulls out a bar of her favourite chocolate. "For the uhm…" He pauses, just signals her stomach with his hand, but doesn't continue his sentence.

She looks down at the dark chocolate bar with pistachios in her hand, eyes it suspiciously. "How?" she whispers, not daring to let her gaze land on him again.

"Ooh that," he starts, swallowing once. "That was your mom," he adds. "She asked me to bring it to you just now." He looks down at his backpack again, pulling on the zipper again he swings it back around his shoulder. "I uhm… Have to go to practice but you said the pictures for dad were done?" he asks, referring to her text message from that morning.

"Yeah," she answers with a smile. "Mom has them downstairs."

"Okay." He presses his lips together in a thin line, nodding once in her direction before he makes his way back to her door. He turns around again in the door opening, looking back at her before he speaks. "Just get better okay, school is boring without you."

She laughs softly. "You missed me."

He crooks his head, bites on the inside of his cheek. "I didn't say I missed you, I said school was boring."

"You missseeeed mee." She repeats again, her voice a teasing sing-song.

He rolls his eyes, holding up his hand he brings his index finger and thumb together. Signalling 'a tiny bit' before he turns around and exits her room. Loudly answering her statement from the stairs. "Just get your ass back to school tomorrow!"

\- xxx -

She reaches for three glasses from the table, filling each with lemonade she brings the two extra cups over to her parents before returning to the table with her friends. Sitting down next to Rachel, she sips from her drink and observes the Specter's festive backyard from this spot. The older man's bandmates playing jazz in the corner near the house. Marcus and Harvey are handling the barbeque and Gordon is entertaining the rest of the guests, a mixture of family, bandmates and friends from the boys.

She reaches for the plastic fork near her plate again. Taking another bite of her burger she lets her gaze drift off to her two friends again, smiling when she hears them discuss bringing out the present for their dad. Finishing her burger, she continues to observe them. The way they bring out the wrapped frame of the large print, hand it over to their old man. She catches the way Gordon's smile grows wider over his face when he unwraps the gift. How he nods and laughs when the youngest Specter man tells him all about the afternoon they spent taking pictures, how the entire gift exchange ends in the musician wrapping his arms around both his sons.

He pulls back from his dad's hug, brings his hand to his head to fix his hair and he notices her gaze then. Turning his head to the right he nods at her once, makes a brief stop at the barbecue to pick up his own food he walks over to the table of his classmates. Dropping his plate on the table, he urges Mike to move over with a bob of his head and before he even sits down opposite of her she has already stolen a bite from his plate.

.

She lets out a yawn, pulls the sweater he'd given her a hour ago tighter around her frame on this late October night. She smiles at her friends, getting up from her seat when Rachel indicates that the rest is leaving. Giving her a hug, she waves at Mike, Louis and Tanner. Following the group of four to the two brothers and their father. She watches them all say goodbye, waving again when they exit through the garage.

She rocks back and forth on her spot, holding onto her own frame to warm her arms. She can't help but let another yawn escape her, a motion Gordon spots and he teases her about her bedtime, fully aware the redhead is eighteen years old and not his responsibility anyway.

Donna laughs, looking down at her feet for a moment when another yawn overcomes her. "Yeah," she mumbles, looking back up at the three men. "Maybe I should go home too," she reasons now, letting go of her own upper arms. She steps forward and embraces Gordon, wishing him a great evening again.

Stepping back she glances to the right. A loud laugh escaping her when Marcus already extends his own arms and she envelopes her right arm around his shoulder, patting him on his back twice. Bringing her hand up to his hair to mess it up when she lets go. "Goodnight, RC 3."

The teasing tone she uses fades away when she feels her best friend's gaze resting on her and she looks at him in return. Swallowing now, she realises the two goodbyes she just handled and how they're the farthest thing from how she normally says goodbye to him, in the rare occasion he even says goodbye or announces that he's leaving.

She catches herself rocking back and forth on her feet, suddenly aware of the other two pairs of eyes resting on them and she doesn't have to look to know the questions she'd find in them. She isn't even sure what makes her step towards him, who she's trying to prove wrong. The two other Specters or that inner voice that keeps telling her that this should be the most normal thing in the world. Taking one last step, her arms spreading again in the process, she wraps her arms around Harvey's neck much like the two hugs before yet completely different.

His breath hitches in his throat at her sudden proximity and when her frame falls flush against his, her arms wrapping around his neck, his heart skips a beat and his eyes close in an instant. His head tilting a few degrees to the left, the smell of her vanilla flavoured shampoo engulfing him and he melts into her embrace. His own arms wrapping around her back in response, consequently bringing her even closer.

A nearly inaudible gasp escapes her lips at his response and a shiver runs down her spine. She isn't entirely sure it's his or her own heartbeat she feels increasing now and despite the heaviness in the pit of her stomach, the fluttering feeling of her body pressed against his prevents her from dwelling on what it all means. She gets lost in the moment just like he is. As if both realise it's once and only once, a rare occurrence in their friendship yet the way she said goodbye a good enough excuse to rationalise this moment if need be.

"Gordon."

The low voice of the guitarist from his father's band wakes them from this moment. His grip on the small of her back loosening in an instant, he moves his hands to the side and leans back to mirror the way she pulls back from their hug. Her hands slipping over his shoulders and down his biceps, her feet taking a step back.

They break apart fully when the guitarist moves to greet Harvey now. He looks to his right, nods at the older man and tries to ignore how cold his frame suddenly feels. Turning to look over his left shoulder he catches her smiling when she walks away. Her hand in the air now, as some sort of wave.

"See you tomorrow."


	9. Chapter 9 - A Night Of Mischief

**Hello everyone, thank you so much for all the reviews (they really do help staying inspired)** **and for being patient with me while I write this fic (and others like couples therapy).**

 **GrayStephen93 (I LOVE THIS USERNAME) I feel the same, wish we could see an AU version on the show but Pauline (Malagenbolakaful same on YT) made the next best thing, a trailer for this fic so watch it all :) Pauline, I haven't forgotten about Donna and Harvey's sweater, I promise. It's just not in this chapter. Booksdontjusttellstories, thank you. Glad you like this AU and yes the 7.10 kiss inspired the hug from the last chapter. Shannon, *inserts hug* I always love seeing you being excited about an update. Ana, be patient :') Ali, thank you and I completely agree. Would love for the show to have a scene with Donna and Marcus. , thank you so much. This chapter will have more of those hyperaware moments. Cece, thank you, yes the show needs more of Gordon too. To everyone, about the posters. I HAD TO DO IT. Wouldn't be the first, definitely not the last reference.**

 **Ok, this A/N got long. As mentioned before, I split this chapter up again and therefore the fluff I tweeted before will mostly be in the next chapter, but I do hope you'll enjoy this chapter anyway. As always I would love to read your reactions. x -M**

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **CHAPTER 9: A NIGHT OF MISCHIEF**

* * *

Donna sighs loudly, pries one eyelid open when she realises she won't fall back asleep. Staring at the early hour announced on her alarm clock she closes her eyes again and shifts a little under her duvet, feet tangling with the sheets. Pulling her arms closer she hugs a pillow tightly to her frame, her eyes flicker back open when she realises that and she tosses the inanimate object across her room with a loud groan.

Turning to her right, she kicks the blankets away and lets her arms fall down on either side of her body with another deep sigh. It's her favourite day of the year, but the holiday is the furthest thing on her mind after last night. She knows it was her taking that first step, initiating the entire ordeal and she also knows that it shouldn't be anything special. At all.

But she can still feel his strong arms around her frame, how he held her even closer. She remembers the way he turned his head towards her and she remembers feeling his breath hitch at the same moment she let her hands slip over his chest when they broke apart.

She purses her lips and then bites down on her lower lip again, her gaze fixated on a spot on the ceiling. Unable to exactly pinpoint when something changed, she sighs once more. They've always been best friends, he hers and she his. The notion of something more between them always out of the question, not a thought to be considered until recently and her mind is mulling over every single moment to figure out when that changed and why.

A pointless task at that. She could be giving meaning to futile moments and be disregarding vital ones, not that she considers anything to be meaningless when it comes to the two of them. She remembers him admitting he missed her at school a few days back, something that should be logical when it comes to your friends but she never said as much to Rachel when the brunette was sick for two weeks last year.

She realises then that this uncertainty about the meaning behind his and in a way her own actions isn't an entirely new thing but something that's been on the forefront of her mind ever since people started to bring it up. Mitchell, Rachel even her own mother and in a way him even though his words have mostly been denying the mere possibility even before she started wondering about a possibility.

She pushes herself up into a sitting position, moving her legs over the edge of her bed. Her feet dangling above the ground she lets out a yawn and stretches her arms above her head. Eyes closing she tilts her head back as her mind drifts off to the last time they had hugged; just over a year ago when he realised when his parents were splitting up. She mulls over the memory of both moments, comparing each instance to the other in the hope it would give her some clarity and ease her mind.

Last time they were standing a mere two feet away from where she was now. His body slumped against hers as he let go of his emotions, her arms wrapped firmly around him. Soothing words leaving her lips, one hand running over his back the other slipping through his hair as she supported him in that moment. She remembers how the embrace ended. A low thank you from him before he moved his head back, his cheek brushing past hers. She remembers the way his lips lingered on the corner of her mouth.

She slowly tilts her head back, opening her eyes again and she finds herself staring out of her bedroom window. Gaze resting on the window opposite of hers, but the room it belongs to is dark and she doesn't see him. Her bottom lip trembles and a gasp leaves her lips when it hits her. This hug wasn't that hug.

 _"You can never go back."_

She had filled the sentence in for him because she knew it was what he wanted to say and maybe at the same time what she couldn't hear him say. But she realises now that what happened last night doesn't mean anything because it can't mean anything. Not for him.

Her eyes fall shut again, pushing herself up to stand and to make her way over to the bathroom she decides there and then to put it out of her mind and never mention it again.

.

Harvey yawns loudly, running a hand over his face as he blindly makes his way back from the bathroom to his room. Ready to fall back into his bed he stalls when he spots the light coming from her room from the corner of his eye. Turning his head to the right he stares out of his window as his feet carry him to the wall, letting his hands rest on the window sill. He stands there for a moment, staring into the empty room opposite of his until another yawn wills itself out of him.

Swallowing once he tilts his head to the side to look at the alarm clock on his nightstand. He groans when he reads the time, he's too sleepy to be awake but he also realises he promised to meet her in half an hour. Running his hand over his face again he turns on his spot and makes his way back to the bathroom in order to get ready on time.

Yelling a goodbye to his brother and his father he pulls the door shut behind him and stumbles over the front porch exactly twenty-nine minutes later. A low laugh escaping him when he finds her standing there already, a bright smile spread across her face and he can merely groan in response. Her grin always an indication of the day ahead.

"Hey."

He jumps off the last step, dragging his feet over the sidewalk as he paces up and down, waiting for her to push herself onto her feet and follow him too. "Hey," he greets her in return, corner of his mouth tugging up into a slim smile.

He bobs his head in the direction of the street, indicating they should make their way over to Mike's house as promised and she follows him with a mere nod. Both of them falling silent for a minute as they just walk, glances stolen every now and then but neither sure of what to say.

The comfortable but slightly awkward silence broken by another loud yawn escaping him, his hand falling to cover his mouth and he blinks tiredly. "Sorry," he mutters suppressing another yawn. "Didn't get that much sleep," he adds, his gaze firmly directed on the road ahead, his chest heaving with every breath he takes.

She taps her hands against her thighs twice, eventually shoving them into the pockets of her jacket when she gets annoyed at her own behaviour. She turns to look at her best friend, nods once in understanding despite him not looking at her in return. She knows his father's birthday was always a big party. "It got late?"

"Yeah sort of," he agrees with a shrug. Her words close enough to the truth of him being unable to sleep until the early hours in the morning.

"Ooh, I know why."

He swallows at her words and the tone that they're delivered with. Wonders if her words are the truth. Surely she doesn't know or maybe she does but he wonders if she would joke around in that case.

"You were so excited for this Halloween festival you couldn't sleep," she continues her tease. "Come on," she chirps, grinning brightly. "Admit it. You love it."

Swallowing once more when her next sentences are exactly that and he closes his eyes for a moment, trying to ease the thoughts that had been running through his mind ever since she left the party last night. He knows it was just a hug, that it shouldn't be something to give meaning to but he can't help but wonder himself.

He knows that in that very moment, with her arms wrapped around him and his arms holding her close his heartbeat had quickened and his breath had faltered. The entire moment only lasting ten seconds but it triggered thoughts and feelings that are too much to process. At least for him. Especially by himself. He doesn't consider it an option to discuss with her, or anyone else for that matter, not as long as he's unaware of what it means for her. Not without the guarantee of it not ruining them.

It's in that moment that he remembers something his father once said. _"Two peas in a pod,"_ five words used years ago to describe how despite their different interests the two best friends are very similar and he realises then that he already found out what it meant for her. Because if it would mean for her what it means for him her reaction would be the same as his. Unable to address it or joke around.

"Ugh." He whines, rolling his eyes. He stalls on his place for a moment, an involuntary deep sigh escaping him. His next words a teasing warning on their own deliberately picked to match hers. Anything to show that they are on the same page after all, even if that wasn't true. "I'm going back right now."

Donna turns on her spot in a beat, biting down on her tongue when she catches him walk backwards. She takes two quick strides towards him, her right arm stretched out in his direction trying to reach for him.

His eyes widen and he takes another step back, out of her grasp. A lump forming in his throat at her movement and he swallows thickly when he realises it's the confirmation of what he just put together. Just being near her now already making him nervous, can't bring himself to initiate any type of physical contact as he feels unsure of what it might do to him.

But if it's this easy for her to act like this then surely it cannot have meant the same to her as to him. It simply can't. Glancing down at the pavement to hide his face from her, he decides there and then to put it out of his mind and never mention it again.

Her brows furrow and she crooks her head when he flinches, silently questioning his behaviour. "Ooh no," she objects ignoring his behaviour she focuses on his words instead. "Don't even think about it."

He sighs, not wanting to show her his inner turmoil he gives in. Pushing his feet forward he follows her again, continuing their path to Mike's. "I can't believe you got everyone to go to this thing."

"I have my ways."

.

Following Mike down the stairs at the station the group of four rushes to the subway that would take them to their destination. The doors closing right after the two girls slip inside, both of them letting out a relieved breath. The redhead glances up at the two boys walking in front of them, she signals to Rachel to follow as they move through the train to one of the empty blue benches on the side.

Mike drops himself down on the end of the seat, stretching his legs out in front of him as he stuffs his ticket in the pocket of his pants. Harvey mirrors the new kid's move, sitting himself down next to Mike and before Donna gets a chance to move Rachel already moves to sit on the other end of the four-seat bench, leaving the only seat available the one next to him.

Biting down on her lip, she moves closer and turns around to sit down between her two friends. She glances to her left, a small smile gracing her lips but he's already talking to Mike again. Hiding the way her smile falters with words herself she continues her earlier conversation about the election and the postponed homecoming with Rachel.

He bobs his head up and down, hums every now and then as he tries to listen to whatever it is Mike is rambling on about but his attention is with the person sitting on his right. Staring down at his hands, he mutters a _yeah_ in Mike's direction, letting the blond continue with his monologue as his gaze drifts off to her hand on her knee.

So close to his.

When she moves her hand over her own leg he flinches ever so slightly, his gaze instantly returns to the floor. Covering that movement by adjusting his seating, he crosses his legs at his ankles and leans back against the seat.

"How many stops left?"

Mike turns to look at his friend in confusion when the other guy's question comes in the midst of his own sentence. The topic far off from the subject they had been discussing. "Uhm," Mike mumbles now, glancing up at the digital screen above the door when the train slows down at the next station, making all passengers lean to the left and Harvey can only swallow when her shoulder bumps against his. "Six."

Her arm pressing against Harvey's, Donna catches herself holding her breath until the subway comes to a halt. Exhaling she shifts directly, breaking the contact between them. She turns to face Rachel a tad more than before, this time she brings up the subject of the costumes they'll be wearing tonight.

The entire process of the two best friend's shoulders bumping into each other repeating itself over the next three stops. It eventually resulting in so much pent-up tension that Harvey finds himself pushing himself to his feet with still two stops to go.

Three pairs of curious eyes turn to look up at him as he holds himself in place, one hand on the overhead railing. "My leg sleeps," he mumbles an explanation in the form of a lie when his gaze locks with the redhead's. His body already moving to switch his weight from one leg onto the other and the remaining two stops he keeps his gaze strictly directed on the door.

.

The group of four walks over to the picnic tables in front of the restaurant they agreed to meet with the rest. Harvey sits down on the seating of a table near the one Louis and Tanner were already waiting. Quick greetings exchanged between the four of them, Donna finds herself standing last once more. The only free spot on the table next to Harvey, yet again.

She bites on the inside of her cheek and goes over her options. Quickly glancing at the entrance of Luna Park and back to the group of her friends. "I uhm," she starts letting out a tired breath, she signals over her shoulder with her left-hand when they turn to look at her. "I'm going to see if the rest is waiting in line."

He can't find it in himself to answer, merely nods in return when the other four do reply. Starting a conversation with the other guys as a way to distract himself, the place he decided to sit down not working in his favour as he can see her walk away from where he's sitting and he can't help but let his gaze drift off to his best friend every once in a while.

She ventures back in the direction of the entrance, lifting herself on her toes when she reaches the planters just behind the booths. She tries to look over the crowd in search for Katrina, Dana and Amy. Glancing left and right she eventually lowers herself to the ground with a sigh when there's no sign of the two brunettes and the blonde yet.

"Hello."

She slowly turns on her place at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. Not entirely sure it was directed at her, she does look up when she notices the young man standing close by. He can't be more than two years her senior, a grin spreading across his face then. "Uhm," she mumbles, brows furrowing together in confusion. "Hi?"

"I'm Mark."

The redhead recoils ever so slightly at his sudden introduction. The hand he extends in her direction a gesture she didn't expect but she extends her own because she doesn't want to come across as rude. "Donna," she answers, shaking his hand but when she lets go she brings her arms to cross in front of her chest.

Laughing at Tanner's joke Harvey's gaze redirects from the table in front of him to the distance, his eyes immediately locking in on her red locks. He blinks twice at the sight, narrows his gaze in on his best friend and the guy she's talking to. The view alone alerting him, enough to spark those uneasy feelings he can't fully place again. Feelings he shouldn't have because he knows there's no point in having them.

It's the protectiveness of his best friend that does make him watch her for a moment, the way she brings her hand to her neck. She's too far away for him to see, but he knows she runs her fingers down to the back of her neck whenever she feels uncomfortable. Shifting a little over his seat, straightening his back when he notices her take a step back and the unknown guy a step forward.

Harvey bites down on his tongue, wonders if he should do something and what he could do. He knows she's more than capable of handling situations herself but he pushes himself to his feet regardless when he notices the way she starts looking around her. Getting a few curious glances from the rest he tells them he's going to see where Donna is.

"Thank you for this recap," Donna takes a program from his hands and looks away from the Halloween Harvest employee in front of her to check if she sees her friends once more. She doesn't want to look scared and she isn't, comfortable, however, she isn't either. The guy so far just telling her about all the must-see attractions this weekend, he's just a bit too enthusiastic. Even for her liking and she wishes she didn't have to deal with this too today. "But I'm really going to have to wait and see what my friends want to do when they get here."

"Just in case they don't show up, I'll be more than happy to guide you through the park."

She fakes a small smile but shakes her head. "That won't be necessary," she tells him this time, bringing one hand up to signal over her shoulder. "My –"

"Hey, babe."

She tenses at the sound of Harvey's voice coming from right behind her and a shiver runs down her spine when she feels his hand brush against the small of her back. She experiences her heart beat in her throat and has to hold back a nervous chuckle when she senses he's now standing right beside her. Despite the entire situation taking her off guard, she knows it's all an act and it takes her only two seconds to play along.

"Hey," she answers softly, angling her body to face Harvey. She catches herself bringing her left hand up to his chest, placing it there with a playful tap as she glances up into the familiar dark brown eyes of her best friend.

His jaw clenches at her touch, his heartbeat soon matching the pace of her taps. He knows he was the one to start this, that it's all an act but the ease and swiftness her movement comes with reminding him of when she tried to reach for him earlier that day and the conclusion he drew from that.

Swallowing thickly he redirects his attention from the redhead to the other guy. "Hi, you must be -" he pauses for a moment, pretending to actually ask but before the guy can answer he continues. "Leaving."

The redhead wants to roll her eyes at the situation, it only taking a few seconds for the guy to leave her alone after Harvey showed up but she doesn't. Instead, Donna laughs softly and she slaps Harvey's chest with her hand that was still resting there once more. "That was mean."

"Was it?"

She shakes her head, in reality just glad it was over no matter how it got handled. "No. Thank you."

He bobs his head up and down while a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "That's where you have a fake boyfriend for." When he glances back at her from the corner of his eye, he notices her wide-eyed stare and he suddenly realises he voiced his thoughts.

"I mean – I'm your best friend. I can pretend to be," he swallows can't even get the word over his lips the second time around. "You know, to get you out of a situation."

It doesn't go unnoticed to her how he doesn't use the word the second time around and she merely presses her lips into a thin line, smiling at him regardless. She taps the hand that's still on his chest twice against his frame before distancing herself because his proximity is becoming too much.

"Well," she speaks, her left hand balling into a fist behind her back. She covers her uncertainty with a joke because Donna Paulsen doesn't do uncertainty. She's the certain one, the one that knows and she can only hope that he doesn't see through her this time. "How about you get your fake girlfriend a drink."

He exhales in a laugh, both relieved she steps away yet missing her touch. "Oh my god, I'm being used."

"Please," she huffs, dramatically moving her hand through the air. "I can't even count the times I had to do this exact same thing for you, last spring break."

He bites down on his lip, swallows at the particular week she mentions and he nods then. "Hot chocolate it is," he answers at last, already turning around to make his way back to the bar where he left the four others behind.

"With whipped cream!"

.

Mike nods once, listening to Rachel talk about the different little food stands at the festival. How they _have to_ get candy apples from Williams Candy, the best on Coney Island, as they move through a maze.

"Really?" Mike asks despite having visited this part of New York several times with his parents. "You - uhm. You'd have to show me which flavour is the best sometime."

Harvey shuffles on his spot, stepping over one of the rolled over pumpkins, momentarily regretting he isn't on a roller coaster with the other guys right now. He picks a straw out of one of the hay bales making up the maze and he follows the other three through the pumpkin palace, although he isn't entirely sure they're going in the right direction. He's quite certain he's seen this scarecrow two times already. "Are you sure we're going in the right direction?"

Donna stalls on her spot, her mouth left agape in offence. She looks up from the map and gives him a look. "Yeah, we have to go -"

"To the right," Mike fills in for her, noticing all three heads turning in his direction. "What? Photographic memory."

"You didn't even look at the map," Donna objects, waving the small piece of paper the employee handed her at the entrance. A deep sigh escaping her now.

"There was a sign outside," Mike counters, pointing in the direction of where the entrance was. "Really it's to the right," he adds now. "Let's just go."

Donna lets out a soft sigh, folds the map back together and puts it in the pocket of her emerald jacket. "Okay," she gives in, moving forward she makes her way over to Rachel. Hooking her arm around the brunette's, the two girls wander off in the direction Mike had just mentioned.

Mike shuffles on his spot, his mouth slowly parting and an objection dies on the tip of his tongue when he watches the two girls walk away. He swallows thickly, glances at his feet for a moment to contemplate his options; he had after all just sort of asked the cheerleader out or as best as he could at the moment, her answer, however, had been interrupted.

Harvey catches the new kid sigh before he walks off, following the two girls. He even spots him motioning something with his hands as if he's talking to himself. Harvey chuckles now, shaking his head at the entire scene in front of him. He twists the twig of hay between his fingers, tossing it aside again when he catches Donna looking over her shoulder in his direction. He presses his lips together in a thin line, trying to hide the fact that he's actively distancing himself from her he continues to walk forward.

Donna glances back at the brunette next to her, gives her a quick smile. She's more than aware of her having interrupted a moment between her two friends just because she couldn't take walking next to him anymore. She also realises that's not fair and she lets her arm slide out of Rachel's grasp, decreases her pace until she stalls on her spot altogether, waiting for Mike to walk past her.

Swallowing thickly she turns to look over her shoulder in Harvey's direction once more. This time remaining rooted on her spot until he almost catches up with her, she can't bring herself to walk directly beside him yet and she starts moving again just before he's close. Immediately increasing her pace to catch up with Mike and Rachel.

He groans once, runs two steps forward to try to catch up with her. Extending his arm, he reaches out but doesn't tug on the back of her jacket. Pulling his hand back to his side, hand clenching into a fist he calls her name instead. "Donna."

Her face falls in a beat, her eyes closing and her feet come to a halt once more. She slowly turns around to look at him. Her head crooking to the other side, a silent motion to question his actions.

Harvey looks at her for a moment, his gaze narrowing in on her. He wonders if she doesn't get what he's hinting at. He bobs his head in the direction of their friends and turns to look back at her. "You're making her unapproachable for him."

A surprised chuckle leaves her lips at his words when he is talking about the other two. "Unapproachable?" she replies confused, maybe even a little offended. She glances at her two friends and back at him. "It's not that hard."

He sighs once, crooks his head and gives her a look. Enough for her to know he doesn't exactly agree with her.

She looks at the two in front of them again, lifting her hand in the air she signals them. She knows what he's hinting at though. "They're talking all the time," she reasons in defence, not wanting him to know she knows he's right. By avoiding him she had been claiming Rachel's presence more than once.

"I meant -"

"I know," she gives in then, looking down at the ground for a moment. The two of them slowly start walking again. Thinking about his words, she shakes her head. "But still," she continues after a minute. "If he wants to ask her out, he just has to ask her out. If she says yes, she says yes and if she says no, she says no."

He listens to her argument, presses his lips together and bites down on his bottom lip. He nods slowly, agrees with her reasoning. It really should be that simple but sometimes it can be the most confusing thing in the world and he can't help but counter. "What if he wants to have that guaranteed first?"

She rolls her eyes now, her mouth momentarily left agape on her friend's behalf. "And not take a risk?"

"What if there's too much to risk?"

She stops walking in a beat, her breath faltering for a moment but she distracts herself by rocking back and forth on her spot. Keeps her gaze firmly directed on the other two further down the maze. "They met like a month ago. What's there to risk?"

His face falls, brows knitting together in a beat. He redirects his gaze from her to the two in the distance when he notices she's still looking ahead. "Their friendship," he answers at last. His voice softer this time around, the words leaving his lips with a bit of hesitation.

Her eyes close for a second when she thinks back to the conversation they had a few weeks ago. _"You can never go back."_ The things she realised once more this very morning. She isn't entirely sure why her mind connected that conversation to this conversation, it's not like they were the topic of conversation. In either conversation for that matter.

Unable to find the words to answer his last statement she merely shrugs in return and signals that they should make their way through the last couple of feet of the maze too. Once outside, she can't help but shake her head as her mind still mulls over his words. The discussion about their friends starting to annoy her more and more with every second that passes. It hitting a bit too close to home to the one thing they don't need to talk about because there's nothing to discuss.

She crosses her arms in front of her chest and makes her way to the picnic table where the others are already seated, reminding herself that those two were the subject. "You know," she starts again, a near chuckle leaving her lips when she sits down next to Mike. "That's just ridiculous."

He lets out a deep breath, shakes his head. He rounds the table and sits down next to Rachel, opposite of his best friend. "So you're saying," he pauses, leaning on the wooden surface with both elbows. "You'd be able to go on and act as if nothing happened?"

She scoffs once, more annoyed at herself than him for countering the question directly back to her. Making it about her. "That's not what I said," she objects, having to look away from him. She looks at the other guy instead "Like… If Mike were to tell me he's in love with me, yeah it would be weird but I wouldn't never talk to him again."

Mike's eyes widen and his brows knit together in a beat. He turns to look at the two best friends in confusion. "Guys."

"That's different."

"Guys," Mike calls out again.

"No, it's not."

"Guys," Mike taps on the table now, still trying to get the attention of the others. "I'm not -" He mutters, looking at both of them he briefly glances at the brunette. "I'm not in love with Donna."

"It's hypothetical, Mike," both of them fire back in a beat. They return to staring at the other, both to stubborn to give in. It's him who finally caves, pushing himself back onto his feet. He steps away from the picnic table and quietly makes his way over to his teammates that were also at the fair.

"Ugh," she whines, rolling her eyes at his behaviour of just walking away. That not stopping her from pushing herself onto her feet too, glancing to the left she spots him talking to Tanner and Louis. Sighing, she lets her gaze search for people she knows to walk over to. Spotting Katrina and Scottie in the distance she storms off in the opposite direction, leaving her friend and the new kid alone at the table.

Mike bites down on his lip, uses his fingers to tap on the wooden table for a moment to think over what to do. Or say, the conversation just held at this very table took an awkward turn. He glances back up at the brunette, his gaze meeting hers. He swallows again. "I'm not in love with Donna."

Rachel smiles softly, glancing down to avoid his gaze. Her locks fall in front of her cheeks but she doesn't push them away, hiding the blush that crept on her face because of her own feelings. Doesn't want to assume anything yet. "You wouldn't be the only one," Rachel answers after a second, looking back up.

Mike bobs his head up and down in understanding but he doesn't comment on her remark. "Well I'm not," he emphasizes again, his hand tapping on the table once more as his nerves kick back in. The little exchange they just had already very telling, he isn't ready to share his feelings with her just yet. Distracting himself from the brunette in front of him he looks back and forth between his two other friends. Both standing with a part of their group on either side of the square. "Are they okay?"

Rachel smiles softly, doesn't have to look over her shoulder to know to whom he's referring. "Don't worry," she waves it off. "It's impossible for those two to stay mad at each other for long."

The blond nods once more in understanding, finally looking back at Rachel. "So uhm -" Mike breaks the silence a few seconds later but looks to the side now. "Will you be going trick or treating?" he asks softly. "I mean you're probably already going with Donna or Scottie -"

"Mike," Rachel interrupts him, pressing her lips into a soft smile when he looks up at her in confusion. She feels her heart skip a beat when his bright blue eyes meet hers again and she suddenly isn't entirely sure of what his question would be but she speaks anyway. "I'll be going as a mouse," she tells him now getting up from her seat to make her way over to the redhead, just in case it wasn't this. "You better match."

.

The events from last night and now this afternoon still on his mind he drops himself down on the edge of his bed, eyes closing he regrets walking away that afternoon. Regrets not talking to her on the entire ride back home, it being something he feared could happen if they were to address what he can't put into words and not doing so had resulted in it regardless. _"It would be weird."_ She had said and this afternoon had been exactly that.

"We're friends," he mutters to himself, the words the truth but at the same time a restriction. One that would keep him in control, it being easier if they stay exactly the way they were. Fixing the buttons of his dress shirt he looks back up when he hears Marcus curse. He watches his brother run back and forth between their rooms, moving props from one side of his costume to the other and he groans loudly now. Can't believe he has to deal with not just one but two Halloween enthusiasts and together they are his annual nightmare.

" _That_ 's your costume?" Marcus comments stepping into his big brother's room again, the disappointment in his tone of voice almost palpable. He shakes his head along with it.

Harvey pulls on the black sleeve of his jacket, one from his father's early performer years, rolling his shoulders he stretches his arms in front of him to make it fit. "What?"

"No comment," Marcus sighs stepping back on the hallway, he stalls instantly turning around again. One hand raised into the air he looks up at his brother. "Actually," he continues, "Really? James Bond. Again. That's -"

His words cut off by the echo of the doorbell, Marcus mutters a _'never mind'_ under his breath before he turns back around. Ready to make his way down the stairs, he stalls at the top and glances to Harvey. "What are you waiting for? That's Debbie."

Harvey lets out a deep breath but moves towards the sixteen-year-old anyway. His hand falling on the younger man's shoulder, he pushes him aside and makes his way downstairs first. "Her name is Donna, loser."

"Dick head."

"Shut up," Harvey bites back, jumping down the last three steps he ignores the _'boys come on'_ from his father coming from the living room as he makes a beeline for the door.

The door barely opened, Marcus pushes his brother aside and he smiles at the girl from next door. "He's impossible," the youngest Specter man announces before rushing outside.

Donna steps to the side, nervously rocks back and forth on her feet as Marcus walks by. She laughs at the sixteen-year-old's words, doesn't need more than that to know what he meant. Exhaling once, she tells herself to forget whatever happened and just focus on celebrating her favourite holiday with her favourite person.

She turns to face her best friend again, biting down on her cheek at first when she spots the jacket. "Really?" The word slips off of her tongue regardless and she can't help but comment. " _That_ 's your costume."

He exaggerates a sigh when her comment is exactly the same as his brother's but deep down he's relieved she said it, back to how things used to be. "What?" He looks back and forth between his best friend and his brother, brows knitting together in a frown when his gaze lands on the redhead again. "Did he put you up to this?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she answers with a shake of her head, she can't help but signal his suit with a wave of her hand. "But really. James Bond?"

He shakes his head at her words, fights the urge to roll his eyes because he knew she would say this. Instead, he removes a pair of fake glasses from the pocket of his father's jacket and puts them on. Continuing the charade by opening two buttons of his dress shirt.

Her gaze flickers from his glasses to his hands, her breath hitching when he pops a button open. Feet rooted to the ground she doesn't know where to look but can't look away either, a chuckle escaping her when she spots the letter S on his shirt. She stares at the blue shirt for a moment and glances back up at her best friend from under her lashes. "Clark Kent," she corrects her former statement.

He bites down on the inside of his cheek hiding his smirk. "Satisfied?"

"Well, it isn't a blue lycra body suit."

He can only sigh loudly in response, yeah they were definitely back to their witty banter. Taking a step forward, he pulls the door shut behind him. "Okay Wonder Woman, let's go," he answers. Copying her moves from earlier that day, his hand falls on her elbow for the briefest of moments as he guides her down the three steps to the sidewalk.

Clenching his hand into a fist when he pulls his hand back, he increases his pace and joins the other's on the sidewalk. A frown forming on his face when he spots the transfer student, in particular the headband and face paint. "What -"

Mike looks down at his costume, the tail at the side. "I'm a -"

"Pussy."

The transfer student's gaze flickers back up, an unamused frown spread across his face.

"What?" Harvey shrugs, defending his joke. "It's funny because you're dressed as a cat," he continues pointing at the ears on Mike's head. "And you dressed up like that for a girl, who is only dressed as a mouse because that's what the newest cheerleader has to do," Harvey explains the situation. Laughing again he moves closer to the rest of the group with one last dig. "Really?"

Mike shakes his head and bites down on his tongue, chooses not to comment on the costumes of his friends; _Wonder_ _Woman and Clark Kent._

"You could have gone as cheese. You know that right."

"Okay. Enough," Mike objects to Harvey's mocking this time. "I get it, I look stupid because I asked a girl out and she asked me to match her costume and I actually did. But you know what, at least I have the balls to do so."

"What did you just say to me?"

Harvey frowns when he catches the blond roll his eyes and step aside, foregoing a real answer altogether. Shaking his head now that he watches the man walk over to the brunette in question, overhears him ask her what she thinks of his costume and he fakes a vomiting motion at the sight of it alone before he walks ahead of the group instead dragging behind it like usual.

.

She catches his frown in a beat, her smile slowly fading she observes him for a moment as they move from door to door. "Are you okay?" she asks after the second house they stop at. She knows they had a rocky day behind him but she won't be able to enjoy her favourite holiday if her best friend isn't enjoying it.

"I'm fine."

"Harv."

"Debs," he answers, stalling on his spot he turns to look at her. "I'm fine. Really," he presses, the look in his eyes telling her not to ask any further. He glances at the house in front of them again. "Look a haunted house. Your favourite. Why don't you go in?"

She bites down on her tongue, closing her eyes for a moment because she realises he's changing the subject even before she could show him she wouldn't press further. She lets out a small breath, shuffles her feet over the pavement and takes a step towards the building. "Are you coming or what?"

He bobs his head to the side, holds back a grown and he really shouldn't be surprised she's making him do this. "What? Do you need me to hold your hand or something?"

She laughs loudly, shakes her head at her best friend's comment. "Aaw, that's adorable," she teases him, taking a step back towards him. "But there's only one person here that gets scared and it isn't me," she adds, now hooking her arm around his. Justifying her motion to herself with his teasing suggestion.

His eyes widen a tad at her movement, he knows he offered almost the same thing mere seconds ago but he didn't expect her to this. It only reminding him once more of the conclusion he drew this morning; that it's too easy for her, that it doesn't mean anything. He glances at the redhead by his side when she pulls on his arm and his only option is giving in. Following her to the front door of the haunted house.

"You could have just asked."

He scoffs but doesn't have the energy to fight it anymore today. Leaving his arm in her grasp he pushes the door open with his free hand. "I'm not scared."

"Petrified."

.

Coughing once or twice Harvey pulls a fake cobweb out of his hair, throwing it to the side. A shiver running down his spine, his shoulders shrug involuntarily at the idea of any more props being stuck somewhere inside his hair or on his costume. "Why did you do that?"

Donna almost doubles over in laughter, arms falling around her stomach and she swallows the _'ooh my god'_ she had on the tip of her tongue as she stumbles over the pavement. The almost spastic movements he makes trying to remove the plastic spider she dropped on his neck making cry from laughter. She lets out a deep breath, pushes herself to stand before she can answer. "You deserved it."

He bobs his head to the side, lets his hand run through his hair again. "Let's just agree to disagree on that."

She chuckles, shakes her head but doesn't comment much further. She doesn't exactly know why she did what she did, if she was still a bit bothered their discussion from that afternoon or not. That wasn't even about them and yet it could have been. Instead, she steps forward and gently raises her hand to his hair.

He flinches, moves his head away from her touch in a beat. His gaze, however, does lock with hers. Neither of them looking away for a few seconds, staring at one another with their faces only inches apart. The tension starting to become palpable.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed she breaks the moment with a tilt of her head to the right, silently questions his behaviour with a raise of one eyebrow. She moves her hand in front of him now. "No spiders," she reassures him softly.

Swallowing thickly he gives in, shifting his weight onto his other leg he moves closer to the redhead. This time he lets her remove the remainder of cobweb from his hair.

Her fingertips brushing over the top of his ear as she brings her hand to his shoulder, whisking some dust off of his costume. She slowly withdraws her hand altogether, taking a small step to the side to increase the distance between them once more and she finds herself voice her thoughts. "What would be the deal breaker?"

"The deal breaker?" he asks unsure.

"Yeah," she shrugs, walking further down the sidewalk when she hears their friends call for them from the distance. She waits with her next step until he moves too. "You don't like Halloween, yet you're here. Celebrating with me. Letting me make fun of you. So what would it be? The one thing I could do that would mean the end of our friendship?"

He feels his throat dry up at her words, his breath halting before he chews out an, "I don't know."

She bites down on her lip, looks ahead again at one of their friends covered in fake blood. A possible scenario crossing her mind. "What if I killed someone?"

He turns to look at her again, brows raised in surprise. "Wild plans for this week?" he asks strangely amused by her suggestion.

"No," she counters, shaking her head. "Self-defence or an accident."

"Well I'd still be there for you," he answers truthfully. "Hell, you'd probably get me so far to help you get rid of the body."

She laughs again. "As if you could."

"Hey, you made me watch _How to get away with murder._ "

She looks down now, trying to hide a smile. She did indeed make him sit through all seasons, like ninety percent of every other TV-show he watched. With movies, it was after all the other way around. "So not a deal breaker?"

He presses his lips together in a thin line, thinking over her question and he chuckles at the realisation that it really wouldn't be. "I don't think there is any deal breaker."

.

Mike runs his hands over his arms, trying to warm himself up a bit as the late Halloween night turned colder, walking the brunette of his affection home makes the chill that much more bearable. He smiles, listens to her talk about cheerpractice. He never cared much for it before, maybe because his previous school didn't even have them but in his eyes everything she brings up is interesting.

"So yeah, I lead the school's debate club, help out at a legal clinic once a month. My dad helped with that one and now with cheerleading added to the list, I'm right on track to my interview at Harvard," she recites her plan with a big grin.

"Wow," Mike mutters, swallowing thickly because he might have a photographic memory but such a detailed plan as to what's next wasn't his style. Not since he learned your entire life can change in the blink of an eye. "So Harvard -"

"Law," Rachel finishes his sentence for him. "My dad is a lawyer," she explains to the blond. "And I want to be one too -"

"No way."

"What?" she comments unsure. "Why is it weird that -"

"No… No." Mike laughs softly, shaking his head he holds up his hand. "That's not - I meant - I want to be a lawyer too," he tells her instead.

"Really?" she asks him amused now because she didn't know this about him yet. "Why?"

Mike swallows once, glances down at the pavement for a moment, thinking about his parents' accident. He isn't sure if she knows and he isn't sure if he should bring it up but the group did just spend some time at his grandma's house, eating all the candy she got for the trick or treaters. "My parents."

"I -" Rachel stutters, biting her tongue as she realises what he's trying to tell her. She heard the redhead mention it once. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have -"

"It's okay." He cuts her off, looking away. Doesn't really want to talk about it. "It is what it is," he adds mumbling, slowly lifting his gaze again to meet hers he brings his hand to his hair, tries to remove the headband that's been bugging him all night.

"No," Rachel whispers, her right-hand covering his on his head stopping him from removing a part of his costume. "Don't," she adds, pausing for a moment when his gaze locks with hers. "It looks cute." She presses her lips into a thin smile, waits for his answer but it doesn't come. Eyeing her house on the right she lets out a breath.

"So uhm." She stalls and signals the mansion behind her with her hand. "This is me."

Mike redirects his gaze from the brunette to the building behind her, his mouth slowly parting. "Wow. I - Uhm-"

Rachel bites on her lip and tries to hold back a laugh at the his reaction but every single one of her friends had the same flabbergasted look on their faces when they saw her house for the first time. She looks over her shoulder for a moment before she turns to face him again, bringing her hand up to lock a strand of hair behind her ear. "I had a really great time tonight, Mike."

The blond smiles and nods, he struggles a bit to get his response out and he isn't sure on his next move. A nervous chuckle escaping both their lips when he extends a hand and she moves in for a hug. "Right. Uhm," he mutters now, spreading both his arms to embrace the brunette. His breath faltering when she's this close to him.

She swallows, bites on her bottom lip to slow down her racing heart. Her hands somewhat clumsily falling on his back. The parting is slow and their cheeks brush past each other. A gasp escaping her lips when she realises what's about to happen. His lips brushing against hers in a soft, almost hesitating kiss. It takes a few seconds for her brain to catch up and her lips to move against his, but before she can truly respond he's pulling back. "Mi..iiikeee." His name leaves her lips in several syllables.

He slowly opens his eyes upon hearing his name. His gaze meeting hers and the first thing he sees is the shock in her eyes. Making him hyper-aware of what he's just done. "I - I'm -"

She realises what he's about to say but she doesn't give him the chance to do so. Her hands moving over his chest, she pushes herself onto her toes and gives him a quick peck in return. "Goodnight," she whispers when she pulls back.

A blush spreads out over her face, she smiles and waves once, quickly making her way to the front door. Leaving the new guy speechless and rooted to his spot. He only mumbles a goodnight in return when he hears the door fall shut again.

.

Harvey yawns once, running his hand over his face to rub his eyes. Momentarily wondering where he left the fake pair of glasses, he reminds himself he stuck it back into his chest pocket and he brings his hand with one final tap against said place to the pockets of his suit pants. Stuffing his hands inside he saunters behind his younger brother and the redhead on their way back home. Watches the two of them talk and goof around, their twin laughter heard every couple of seconds.

She brings her hand to the plastic bag Marcus was carrying, reaching in it for another piece of candy. She sighs when she grabs a piece of gum yet again. "Okay Indiana," she taps the younger man's arm. "Where's the good stuff."

Harvey chuckles at the little exchange, the way she deliberately refers to the wrong character and he can only grin because like him she was a Trekkie through and through, though she'll never admit it out loud.

"Fine," Marcus gives in to the redhead with a sigh and he reaches inside one of the pockets of his black vest. Removing an orange Reese bar he hands it over to Donna just before they near their respective houses. Reaching for his house keys from another pocket he smiles at his friend, calling her Diana Prince when he wishes her a good night.

Donna grins and softly shakes her head as the sixteen-year-old rushes up the three steps and makes his way inside the Specter house. Rocking back and forth on her spot she senses his presence and turns to face Harvey. Both of them standing there in silence, just looking at the other while neither really knows what to do or say.

Swallowing he looks down, bites on his bottom lip when he thinks about his behaviour from earlier that day. "I'm sorry about -"

"I know," she whispers cutting him off because she already knows what he wants to say. She also hadn't been behaving like her usual self. "Me too," she adds softly, her gaze meeting his again when he looks back up and she presses her lips into a soft smile.

She's the one to break the little moment, just like she had done after the haunted house. This time by bringing her left hand up to signal over her shoulder to her house. Her left foot already taking a step back. "I should –"

"Yeah," he answers when he snaps out of his daze, glancing at the door Marcus left agape and back to her. "Me too." He smiles softly again, nods at her once more and climbs the three steps to the front porch. Stalling in front of the door, he peeks to the left and watches her go inside before he does the same.

Closing the door behind him, he turns the lock and crosses the hallway to the foot of the stairs. Yelling a greeting to his father, he rushes up the stairs with two steps at a time. Shrugging the black suit jacket off of his shoulders by the time he reaches the landing, he uses his hands to pull on the sleeve as he steps into his room. Using his elbow to hit the light switch.

She opens the door to her room, flicks on the lighting with her index finger and glances up when she spots the light in his room being turned on at the same moment from the corner of her eye. Removing the bracelets from her costume, she drops them on her desk and naturally gravitates closer to the window.

Dropping the suit jacket on a chair, he kicks off his shoes, shuffling them into a corner of his room. He makes his way to his bed, head turning to the right when he catches her movement from the corner of his eye. Removing the fake glasses from the pocket of his dress shirt, he places them on the nightstand and moves over to his window.

Head tilting ever so slightly to the right she stalls in front of the window. Looking through the glass at her best friend, standing there just like she was, no doubt looking at her in return. Lifting her gaze by an inch it locks with his and she feels her breath hitch.

He catches the way she visibly takes in a breath and he can only nod softly while a smile tugs at the corner of his lip. Feeling his phone buzz in the pocket of his pants he breaks their gaze and looks down, hand automatically reaching for the item.

He chuckles once when he sees it's her name flashing up on the screen. Instead of reading the message, he glances back up to look at her. This time he finds the curtains pulled shut. Swallowing once, he turns around and looks back down at the phone in his hand, unlocking it now to read the message she sent him.

 ** _Goodnight. x_**


	10. Chapter 10 - The Class President

**Loveablecece, fioamj, , kirbyjimenez88, acuriousbeastie, quintaocastro, scar, greystephen93, vxdarvey, vickster51, malagenabolakaful, DonnaRSpecter, Tvseriesislife, donnapspecter, spectographer and guest THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS. I loved them and read them over and over while writing this.. I don't really know how I feel about this chapter, but it's done so here it is. I really hope you do like it and I'd love to know what you think about it. So enjoy and let me know. X - M**

* * *

 **180 DAYS OF DONNA**

 **CHAPTER 10: THE CLASS PRESIDENT**

* * *

She jumps back at the sudden car honk, her right-hand clings onto the umbrella. Bringing the handle close to her chest, much like her left hand covers her heart and her eyes fall shut for a moment. Turning on her spot on the front porch, she glances at the green Mustang rolling up on the driveway.

Snickering once, she shakes her head and makes her way down the three steps to the sidewalk. Turning to the left, she takes four small steps forward and stalls on the driveway as the car drives up to the spot where she's standing now. Watches him lean over Marcus to open the door on the passenger's side.

"Marcus move to the back."

"Not fair," Marcus objects.

"You can also walk."

She bites down on her tongue at the little exchange between the two brothers. Watches the way the younger one lets out a sigh but still undoes his seatbelt and climbs over the gearbox to the backseat. She lets her hand rest on the door, leans forward to look at Harvey. "You do realise umbrella's exist?"

Harvey shrugs once. "Just get in."

Pressing her lips into a thin smile, Donna first removes her backpack, dropping it in front of the passenger seat before she sits down and brings the closed umbrella inside, quickly closing the door behind her. She looks over her shoulder at Marcus when the engine roars. "Sorry," she whispers at the younger man, holding a finger up in the air, she quickly reaches for her backpack. Pulling the bag on her lap, she removes the tin foil wrapped bagel and hands it over to Marcus as a way to make it up to him. "Cream cheese and salmon bagel," she offers, "your favourite."

"Yes." Marcus smiles at the redhead, eagerly taking the bagel from her hands, the sixteen-year-old deposits his new lunch in his own backpack before removing the one he made himself this morning, handing it back to her. "Peanut butter and jelly," he admits with an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

She laughs once but takes the sandwich from Marcus' hand regardless. "Delicious."

"Liar," Harvey mutters under his breath, witnessing the exchange from the corner of his eye and a glance in the rearview mirror here and there. It's when she places his brother's sandwich in her bag and reaches in yet again, this time removing a book and handing it over to Marcus too that he speaks. "Hey. What do I get!?"

"Nothing," Donna teases him with a look, sticking out her tongue in his direction before turning to look over to the backseat again. Extending her right arm she taps on the cover. "You need to pay attention to the second chapter, it includes a reference and if you miss that on your paper Miss Hessington will automatically fail you."

"Thank you."

Harvey turns on the signal to the right, driving onto the parking lot. "You're doing his homework for him now?"

"Please," she scoffs, shifting on her seat one last time, she closes the leather straps of her bag again. "As if you ever take notes during physics."

He opens his mouth to commentaroundbut presses his lips together in a firm line when he knows that whatever he'll say is pointless.

"Who gets his homework made now," Marcus counter comes from the back seat while the older brother parks the mustang.

"Ooh," Donna objects, now looking back and forth between the two guys. "Don't think I've forgotten about Emily."

"Emily?" The two Specters ask in unison.

She lets out a dramatic sigh, tilts her head to the side as she narrows her gaze in on Harvey. Wondering if he's serious. "The doll from biology class," she answers then, turning to her right to open the door. She gets out of the car and moves the passenger's seat to the front to let Marcus out who nods in understanding. Her gaze landing on her best friend again. "I do still have that picture if it would refresh your memory."

He slams the door shut, his face lifting in a beat at her words and he meets her gaze with a deadpanned expression of his own. "Don't you dare."

Marcus looks back and forth between the redhead and his brother, eyes glistening in understanding. He turns to Donna once more. "Please, show me."

"Marcus Cornelius!"

Donna bites back a laugh at his outburst, turns on her spot. Her shoulder bumping against Marcus's, she urges him to follow her as she pretends to reach for her phone. Catching Harvey rush around the car in her peripheral vision, she just about manages to step aside when he tries to steal her phone from her hand. She gives the younger guy next to her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry RC3."

"You always pick his side." Marcus sighs.

Harvey catches up with her in two quick steps, grins proudly at his brother's words and the hint of confusion that washed over her face. The three of them rushing to the door now that the rainfall was kicking back in. Reaching the entrance before the others, his hand falling on the handle he pushes the door open and lets her slide inside first. His shoulder bumps into hers when he follows her right away, leaving Marcus to catch the door on his way in. "Thank you," he states then, talking to her but just loud enough for his brother to hear.

"For what?" she asks by the time Marcus walks next to Harvey again.

"For picking _my_ side."

She chuckles once, glances at the two brothers on her left. Her gaze landing on the oldest for a moment, it's not the first time she heard them argue about her, despite both of them being fully aware what her answer would be. Shaking her head then, she continues to look ahead as they round the corner. "Always," she whispers then, so softly, almost as if there wasn't an answer at all.

Unable to hide the smile that tugs on his lips at her whisper, he looks down at the floor as they silently continue to walk through the hallways. It's when their lockers are in sight that he speaks again. "You should delete that photo though."

"Never," she answers with a laugh, winking at Marcus behind Harvey's back.

Rachel watches the three friends walk forward, the way Harvey looks down and how his gaze flickers back up at the redhead in a beat when she laughs loudly. The brunette taps her hand against the books in her arms, contemplates her options but she really needs to talk to her friend.

Marcus's pace slows down when he catches Rachel walk towards them, swallowing once he stops walking altogether then. His movement getting a curious glance from his brother when the sixteen-year-old turns on his spot and walks away without as much of a goodbye.

Rachel frowns for the briefest of moments at Marcus' departure but doesn't allow herself to think much of it. "Harvey," the brunette announces her presence by greeting him instead. Leaving her best friend's name unspoken, she merely hooks her arm around Donna's. "I have to tell you something."

Donna's eyebrow rise in surprise, she shares a glance with Harvey but silently closes her locker and follows the brunette when Rachel pulls on her arm. The two of them making their way into the ladies room, the redhead speaks as soon as both of them are inside. "You kissed Mike."

Rachel lets go of Donna's arm, spins around in front of the sink and drops her books on the counter. "Yes," she answers with a nod.

"Where?"

"On the mouth."

Donna tilts her head to the left, challenging Rachel's answer.

"Last night," Rachel answers now with a smile. "In front of my house after he walked me home. We hugged and it just happened."

Donna's breath hitches for the slightest of moments. Covering the uneasy feeling with an even brighter smile, she reminds herself they were talking about Mike. "Did you talk to him yet?"

"No," Rachel shakes her head, now reaching for her phone. Unlocking it she opens up the messages. "He texted me this morning," she announces handing over the phone.

Donna takes over Rachel's iPhone, glancing down at the screen she notices that Rachel hadn't replied yet. "You didn't answer?"

"I didn't know what to say."

The redhead gazes at the brunette in surprise. "You didn't know what to say, he said -"

"I know what he said," Rachel beams. "It's just. I –"

Donna bobs her head up and down, a chuckle escaping her as a thought crosses her mind. She turns around, keeping the phone out of Rachel's reach as she starts typing. "That's why you have me."

Rachel's eyes widen at the typing sound and she leans forward, trying to take her phone back from her friend's hands. She just about manages to get it back before Donna hits send and she can't help but read the message the redhead typed before even moving her thumb to the backspace button.

"Just hit send."

The brunette redirects her attention from the phone to Donna. "Should I?"

"Trust me," Donna counters confidently, smiling when she watches her friend let out a breath and then hit reply. She reaches for her bag again, swinging the handle over her shoulder she waits for Rachel to lift her books from the counter before she opens the door. A buzzing sound vibration through the room before she can do so.

"Oh my god. He answered."

"See."

.

"Debbie."

Her eyes close at the sound of his voice coming from behind her and she can tell he's only four steps away from her at the sound of his shoes on the pavement just outside of school. Letting out a deep breath, she tries to compose herself in the three seconds she knows it will take for him to catch up with her. "It's still Donna, doofus."

He laughs once, shrugs slowly while delivering her signature phrase back to her. "I know - Where are you going?" he asks after a moment, confused about the direction she's headed.

"Home," she answers. A small frown forming on her face as she turns to look at him.

"My car is the other way, you know that right?"

She stalls and turns ninety degrees to the left on her spot. Now looking over her shoulder to the dark green Mustang. "Yeah," she admits glancing back at him, "but it's Monday and you always hang out with the guys after school."

He bobs his head up and down in understanding, that indeed being a typical Monday afternoon. "First of all, I drove you to school so you don't have to walk back –"

"Harvey," she starts, softly shaking her head as she thinks about how Marcus must have done exactly that when his day ended an hour before theirs.

He shakes his head, doesn't want to hear her objection and he signals in the direction of the parking lot with his hand. Silently pleading her to accept his offer and follow him to the car. "And this physics paper isn't going to write itself, so."

Donna chuckles now. "Yeah, it really isn't."

He narrows his gaze in on her, drops his hand on top of the Mustang. "What?" he inquires when he sees her mischievous smile.

"Your deal fell through."

He frowns and keeps looking at the redhead, not sure what she means.

"Mike kissed Rachel."

Harvey looks up in surprise, thinks over her words for two seconds and returns her stare with an impressed smile. He knew Rachel liked the new guy but he didn't think it would only take two months.

"You should tell Marcus."

He tilts his head to the side at the mention of his younger brother. "What? No way."

"Way," she counters with a nod, both of them opening the doors to either side of the car. Sharing another look between them once they get in the car.

"Fine," he sighs, turning on the engine. "I'll tell him."

.

.

Rachel increases her step, takes two larger strides to catch up with the redhead as they walk into the cafeteria. Taking her next step in sync with her friend, she whispers her name and hooks her arm around Donna's, pulling her a bit closer.

Words about what happened with Mike the night before on the tip of her tongue, she's been waiting all day to tell Donna but she swallows in her words once more when she spots the guys sitting on the table in front of them. The blond guy in question walking over to said table from the distance. A few text aside this morning she hasn't really had the chance to talk to him either.

When her gaze finds his blue eyes she smiles softly, both a wordless greeting and a plead not to bring the obvious up yet. When he nods Rachel turns to look at Donna again. "Are you nervous?" she asks letting go of her friend's arm. The results of the class president campaign about to come in in a few minutes.

Donna bites down on her bottom lip, thinks over Rachel's question for a second.

"You've got nothing to be nervous about," Harvey chimes in. "You're going to win this."

She crooks her head in a beat and turns to look at him. Something about the tone he used and the mischievous glint in his eyes irks. He seems too certain of himself even for her liking. "Ooh no."

"Ooh no, what?" He counters instantly, his smirk smile making place for a confused frown.

"What did you do?"

"What -"

"You didn't rig the election did you?" she voices her thoughts as soon as they come. It's the laugh that leaves Tanner's lips at her question that she turns to face the others again. Her hand falling on Rachel's elbow. "What did he do?"

"Hey!"

Rachel glances at Harvey and back to the redhead, she notices the pleading look in her eyes. She swallows and brings her lips together. Biting her tongue she wonders if she should tell the truth.

"Rach," Donna presses.

The cheerleader shakes her head at her friend's confused look. "We -"

"We what?" Donna looks back and forth between her two closest friends.

"We," Rachel continues again, signalling their little group at the table she glances at her friend's best friend. "We handed out flyers for you when you were sick at home the other week."

Donna's lips slowly part in surprise, she redirects her gaze from Rachel to him. Her eyes locking with his, she doesn't even have to ask before he nods in acknowledgement.

"They all helped," he answers signalling the four others, once more leaving the redhead speechless. She can only mouth a simple 'thank you' in the direction of her friends. "See nothing to be nervous about," he continues. His elbow playfully poking hers when she turns to lean against the table next to him.

She presses her lips into a soft smile and looks at him. Wordlessly thanking him once more.

He laughs then. "You really thought I'd rig the election for you?"

She opens her mouth to speak, closes it again when a witty comment lacks her. "Well," she starts at last. "You did kind of promise me to get rid of a dead body if need be, so it isn't that far a stretch."

He laughs again, wants to comment something in return but the bell of the school's intercom system cuts him off. The redhead lets out a deep breath, shuffles on her spot for a moment and glances at him from the corner of her eye one last time before looking up at the speaker on the wall.

"And now the results of the senior class president election; this year's senior class president is Miss Donna Paulsen."

"Ooh my God." She jumps up at the news, the three words leaving her lips a few times more in surprise. It's the overwhelming sense of happiness that makes her wrap her arms around his neck mere seconds later, forgetting everyone else around them as she hugs Harvey close.

And just like a few night ago, his own arms instinctively wrapping around the small of her back. This time making her feet lift off the ground.

Letting out a somewhat disappointed but mostly relieved sigh, the head cheerleader enters the cafeteria just after the announcement and Scottie's pace falters a little bit at the sight in front of her. The redhead wrapped in Harvey's arms, her feet lifted from the ground and no doubt both sporting the same bright smile neither shows the other.

The sight itself shouldn't be that big of a deal, everyone knows the two of them are the closest of friends but she knows that even for the two best friends in particular this isn't common behaviour. The way they break apart only confirming it.

The redhead quickly moving to their other friend, Rachel, embracing her too as the room fills with more squeals seconds later. Him high-fiving Mike, it's the look on his face that tells the head cheerleader everything she needs to know but deep down knew all along. How she asked the questions to the wrong person that day at the carwash but Dana also knows that his answer would have been the same as the one she got anyway. They might not know it but she does.

Forcing a smile on her face, she takes the last three steps to cross the cafeteria to the table the group is seated. Her hand falling on the redhead's shoulder, Scottie now too congratulates the class president on her win and a surprised chuckle escapes her lips when Donna also hugs her.

"Thank you," Donna answers pulling back from the embrace, she still feels her cheeks blush from the first embrace minutes ago. She catches her gaze drifting off to him again, now turning her frame ever so slightly to remove him from her line of vision.

"Dana," she speaks then, remembering the promise she made a few weeks back. "Will you be my Vice President?"

Scottie smiles brightly and nods in return. "Yes. I will."

"Donna," Mike calls for the redhead's attention now too, wanting to congratulate his friend. Tanner and Louis waiting to do so too.

"Vice President. Not bad, congrats."

A soft chuckle leaves Scottie's lips when she hears Harvey's half-assed compliment and she turns to face him with a non-amused look. "If I lost by one vote, I'm holding you accountable," she counters, knowing fully well his vote has gone to the redhead. She also knows that if it came down to it, it wouldn't be his but her own vote for Donna that would have been the deciding factor.

He grins, shakes his head but doesn't comment. Knows for a fact that most people from their little group voted for the redhead over her, he also realises that can't be an easy thing to accept.

Rachel watches Mike and the other guys talk to her friend, a blush creeping up over her cheeks when his bright blue eyes meet hers and she looks down in a beat because they haven't exactly defined what they are yet. She drags her feet over the floor, shuffles a little on her spot and slowly lifts her gaze again. Her stomach fluttering this time around when she catches how he looks away now and a smile tugs on the corner of her lips.

"Maybe we could get pizza?"

The brunette only realises she pronounced her thoughts out loud when she notices six pair of eyes turning to look in her direction, the sparkle she spotted in the blue ones the only answer she really needed she finds herself diverting the conversation nonetheless. "All of us," Rachel adds now, signalling the little group. "Celebrate Donna's win."

The redhead smiles at Rachel but shakes her head, wanting to brush it off.

"Yeah," Harvey replies. "We should celebrate."

Donna lets out a soft sigh, glances back and forth between her two closest friends and then the rest of the group. "Okay," she gives in when she notices all of them are nodding, Tanner already stating his order aloud. "Okay," she repeats, laughing softly. "But I'm going to have to call my mom first so I'll see you guys there."

Harvey looks at the redhead for a moment, thinks over her words but doesn't comment them. Instead, he reaches for his backpack and swings it over his shoulder. "Okay let's go, I'm starving."

Mike pulls the zipper of his jacket shut, takes two steps forward to follow the other guys but lingers a bit when he notices that Rachel is staying behind. Looking over his shoulder in her direction he catches her wave.

"I'm waiting for Donna," she explains leaning back against the table, signalling the redhead on the phone behind her. Her fingertips now tapping against her thigh, his gaze making her nervous even when all he does is nod. "Why don't you order for me."

The new guy grins and bobs his head up and down once more, she hasn't given him the opportunity to talk to her yet but nothing so far tells him that she regretted it. "What do you want?"

"Surprise me."

.

Letting the handle of his backpack slide over his right shoulder, Harvey manoeuvres his way between the table and the seating of the big corner booth. Dropping the backpack on the seat to his right he moves to sit close to the corner.

Louis moving into the booth from the other first, followed by Dana. It's Mike who stares at the taken seat for a moment before following both Tanner and Katrina's lead of pulling up a set of chairs to the table. One for himself, one for Rachel.

.

"Congratulations," Rachel chirps again the second Donna ends the phone call with her mother. "I'm so happy for you."

"I can barely believe it," the redhead whispers. "It did happen, right? You heard it too?"

Rachel chuckles and smiles softly at her friend. The redhead doesn't show her insecure side often but when it happens it's rather endearing. "Yes," Rachel replies in a beat, nodding to emphasise her answer. "It really did and there's the rest of the group in the pizzeria to prove it." She reaches for Donna's arm. "Come on, miss president. Let's go."

.

"What will it be?" the waitress asks, pulling her notebook and a pen from her apron. Her gaze landing on Harvey first, she nods and waits for him to reply with his order.

"One pizza pepperoni and one crispy shrimp," he answers, deciding to order for the redhead too since she hasn't arrived yet.

"A calzone," Louis reads of the menu, handing the plasticised piece of paper back to the woman. The waitress takes everyone's order, going round the table to end with Mike. She nods once at the boy with big blue eyes, impatiently tapping her pen against the note block.

"Uhm," Mike mutters, glancing back to the menu. He knows his own order but he has no clue what to get Rachel. "One Hawaiian- Or make that two."

"Eew."

"No, wait."

Mike's stare flickers up from the menu to the others at their reaction to his order. "Ma'am, wait," he calls after the waitress, looking back at the menu. "Change that to one Hawaiian and – crap," he curses under his breath, now even more unsure than before. "What does -"

"Definitely not anything with pineapple," Katrina answers before Mike even fully pronounces his question. She smirks proudly and sips on her drink.

"Something fancy," Harvey adds in.

"Figs," Louis offers after a moment, his suggestion resulting in an acknowledging 'yeah' coming from around the table.

Mike bobs his head up and down, slowly turns to face the waitress again. "Do you have any pizza's with figs?" he asks, barely being able to get the word out of his mouth. Doesn't understand the combination at all.

The older woman lets out a tired sigh. "That would be with goat cheese, prosciutto and balsamic vinegar, can I write that down?"

"Yes," Mike answers, quickly handing the menu back.

.

Donna presses on the bar and pushes the door to the little pizzeria behind their school open, stepping inside she turns on her spot and holds the heavy door open for Rachel to enter.

The brunette nods at the redhead and Rachel then smiles brightly when she spots their group of friends in the back. Gently tapping Donna's elbow with a flick of her wrist, she signals for the new class president to follow her to the rest.

"Hey guys," Rachel announces their presence, her hand brushing over Mike's shoulder for the briefest of moments. The two of them exchange a look before she pulls back the empty chair next to Mike's and sits down.

Donna removes her bag, walks past the seat Rachel just chose and she doesn't even have to ask before Harvey drops his own backpack to the floor, freeing up the spot he saved for her. "Thank you," she smiles, sliding onto the seat of the booth next to him and she too places her bag on the floor near their feet.

"I ordered yours," Harvey announces when he notices her hand moving to the one menu left on the table, causing her movement to stall in a beat. "The usual," he answers her unspoken question, turning his frame into the corner of the booth, his right arm landing on the backrest behind her.

"Crispy shrimp," she says, a chuckle escaping her when she sees his nod. "Let me guess. Pepperoni?" she teases her best friend, rolling her eyes when his signature smirk spreads across his face now. "Boring."

Rachel turns to face Mike, having overheard the conversation between the two best friends she suddenly remembers what she asked him to do. "And what can I expect?" she asks him.

"I can't say," the blond answers making Rachel frown. "You wanted me to surprise you, so you'll have to wait and find out."

A few minutes later the waitress returns to the group of high school seniors with the first two plates, placing the calzones in front of Louis and Katrina. A second waiter now joins them at the corner booth. "Crispy shrimp?" the young man asks eyeing the table.

"Yes, me," the redhead answers upon hearing the order and even though he already told her as much she still glances at him for a moment, returning with a nod to the waiter when Harvey smiles in confirmation.

"Pepperoni?" the guy asks now, this time resulting in Harvey lifting his left hand from the table.

Leaning back to let the waitress place his pizza down in front of him, Tanner catches the redhead steal a slice of pepperoni pizza even before she touched her own. His knowing gaze is met by the small smile Rachel gives in return when she notices his look.

Harvey playfully swats her hand away with his own. "That's mine."

The little exchange between the two best friends something so common no one really questions it anymore but anyone who pays attention can see how this time it's different from all the times before and what makes it special. Their looks.

Harvey grins, bites the inside of his cheek to stop the smirk from spreading into a full smile as he pulls his hand away again. Gazing at the redhead from the corner of his eye, he flexes his fingers over the table and redirects his gaze on his drink when she looks at him.

Two sparkling hazel eyes staring up at him, her lips twitching ever so slightly until she sticks out her tongue and reaches for the slice of pizza once more. Now swapping it out with one of her own.

Rachel moves a bit to the left when the waitress returns with the last two plates. Mike's and her own. Letting her stare follow the first plate that is placed on the table in front of him she can't help but look a bit disgusted. A motion that doesn't go unnoticed to the rest of the group either when Donna voices her friend's thoughts.

"Pineapple?"

Mike's mouth drops again and he looks up at the redhead. Catches a glimpse of the horrified look on Rachel's face and he silently thanks the rest for saving his ass with the orders. "I -"

"And one with figs," the waitress announces, placing the last pizza in front of Rachel.

The brunette smiles instantly at Mike who sighs in relief. "How did you know?"

Mike shrugs once. "Good guesser?" he lies, ignoring the way Harvey rolls his eyes.

Donna bites down on her lip when she notices the looks being exchanged across the table and she just catches the end of his eye roll. Her elbow automatically finding its way to Harvey's ribs, she shakes her head.

"Good guess indeed," Rachel answers, eyeing her pizza again. She takes in the smell and snaps a quick picture of it for on Instagram. Then watches her crush devour his pineapple covered pizza for a moment. "Why do I like you again?"

.

"Hello," Katrina chirps, looking up to Dave when she feels her boyfriend's hand on her shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

Dave chuckles, he reaches for a free chair and turns it around. His elbow bumping against Tanner's shoulder next.

"Hey man," Travis greets his former teammate by moving his own chair aside.

Dave nods once and sits himself down on his chair, turning to face his girlfriend again. "I got home last night and I was going to surprise you by picking you up at school but I saw you all sitting here." The blonde smiles at his words and leans to the left, greeting her boyfriend with a quick peck on this lips.

Harvey shifts over his seat, lowers his gaze from the couple in front of him to his food. Reaching for his drink he catches a glimpse of his watch in the process. "Shit," he mutters under his breath, bringing the glass of coke to his lips he downs the remainder of his drink. He lifts the last slice of his pizza from his plate, takes one big bite off it before dropping it on her plate. His right hand tapping against the backrest for a moment before it lands on her shoulder.

She jumps a little on her spot, tilts her head to look in his direction when he taps her shoulder once more.

"Practice," he answers, getting up from his seat. He waits for her to slide over the bench and out of the booth. Reaching for his backpack from the floor, he nods at the rest of the group as he rounds the table. "Dave," he greets the former student with a slap on his shoulder. "Good to see you but I got to go. Practice."

Katrina grins and turns to look over her shoulder. "You got to hurry. Dad won't like it if you're late."

"I know," Harvey counters, making his way out of the pizzeria.

Donna slides back onto her previous seat, focuses on the pice of pizza he dropped on her plate. She picks up the slice of pepperoni and eats it while she listens to Dave tell he'll be staying till after homecoming. That soon becoming the main topic at the table until the group starts to thin out little by little.

First Louis and Dana, both leaving to work on their Spanish project. Tanner next by moving to the counter to talk to some girl. Donna rolls her eyes at how easily he gets the blonde to agree to joining him at the dance a week from Friday. Donna laughs at Rachel's words next, looking down at her drink, she reaches for the straw in her milkshake and swirls it around.

Looking back up she finds herself silently observing the other four left at the table. Two clear couples, now both emerged in their own little bubbles. She watches Dave reach for Katrina's hand while he gets up from his chair. They both smile and announce their goodbyes, Katrina drops a ten dollar bill on the pile in the middle of the table. Donna waves in return, lets out a soft sigh as she leans back against the booth. Her gaze returning to her other two friends. Both once again talking to each other.

"Right," she whispers, letting out a soft sigh. She leans to the side and reaches for her bag from the ground. Pulling out her wallet, she now too drops the money for both Harvey's and her own food on the table. Zipping the bag up she swings it over her shoulder and slides over the booth to the side. Saying her greetings, a mumbled 'I'm going home too,' she leaves new couple behind.

 **.**

Donna steps into her room a little after eight, the automatic routine kicking in. She flicks on her light, walks over to her desk to drop her backpack and then moves to her window, opening it a little to let in some fresh air. She finds herself glancing inside the room of the house next door just like on Halloween, that too also becoming a part of her routine. Biting down on her lip she shrugs once when she notices he isn't home yet.

Turning around once more, she pulls her phone from the pocket of her pants. Unlocking it with a press of her thumb, she navigates to the music app and puts on her Lana Del Rey playlist, turning the music up to full volume. She dances on the tip of her toes to her bed. Tossing her phone on the mattress, she pops the button of her jeans open and pulls the zipper down. Wiggling herself out of her skinny jeans she kicks the denim to the lounge chair and she pulls the duvet back a little in search for her pyjama's. Lifting the pair of shorts and the tank top in her arms she makes her way to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Returning to her room a few minutes later, she runs her hands through her damp locks, bringing the auburn strands together she rolls it up into a messy bun. Moving her hands from the back of her neck up in the air, she swings her arms and dances to her dresser. She reaches for some moisturiser and applies it to her face while singing and dancing along to the next song her song phone started playing.

Harvey steps into his dark room, brows knitting together when he catches the sudden movements from the corner of his eye. Glancing to his right he spots her dancing around her room. A soft chuckle escapes him before his lips settle into a soft smile. Shaking his head, he looks down and lets the handle of his sports bag slide over his shoulder, dropping it on the floor. Tossing the baseball bat down next to it.

Pulling his dirty jersey over his head, Harvey throws it towards the clothing bin in the opposite corner of his room. Making his way over to the closet, he pulls the top drawer open and rummages through the contents to pull out a pair of sweatpants. Flinging it over his shoulder, he walks back to the bathroom.

Feeling a shiver run down her spine then she turns around on her spot, lips pressed together in search for something to put on she spots his sweater from the corner of her eye. Slowly walking over to the lounge chair near the window, she lifts the dark blue piece of clothing from the armrest. The fabric of the sleeve slipping through her fingers, she hesitatingly stares at the sweater for a moment but when another shiver runs down her spine she brings it closer. Instantly slipping her own arms through the sleeves, and pulling the zipper up right up to her nose.

Although she was the last one to wear it, it's his cologne that overcomes her, the moment taking her by surprise. She pulls the zipper down just a little again but keeps it on. A pleased smile spreading over her face at the warmth it brings her. She shuffles on her spot, catches herself staring out of her window once more and she sighs again. For someone who is fine on her own, she felt alone in that moment.

Bored and not sure on what to do or how to spend her time, she turns around and makes her way down to her bed. Knee sliding over the mattress she picks up her phone from between the pillows. Unlocks the device she drops herself on her back, moving through her apps she opens snapchat and plays around with the filters. Taking two selfies, captioning them both with 'bored', she sends them to iamharveyrspecter.

Exiting the app when there isn't a near instant reply, she opens WhatsApp followed by the last message from him instead. She stares at his name at the top of her screen and the last seen time announced underneath it, the hour staring right back at her from before he even left the pizzeria.

Letting out a deep breath, she drops her phone on her pillow and rolls around on her stomach. Her nightstand now coming into sight, she spots the baseball behind her picture frames and the lamp. Crawling a bit over the duvet she stretches her arm, knocks over one of the pictures to reach for the object. Moving the baseball around in her hand she rolls back on her bed, letting her thumb run over the red threading.

Harvey runs a towel over his head, tosses it on the floor at the bathroom and makes his way back to his room. Automatically glancing to his right but this time he doesn't see her dancing around. Walking over to the window regardless, his gaze still fixed on the room opposite of his own, he excuses his own behaviour by opening the window to let in some fresh air.

When a breeze of fresh air enters the room and hits his frame, he wakes up from his daze and tears his gaze away from her. Turning around on his spot in a beat, he turns on the light in his room and reaches for his notes before dropping himself on his bed.

Donna moves around again, her head falling to the right for the briefest of moments she stares back at the ceiling. Her brows knitting together in a frown she bobs her head back to the right and pushes herself up when she realise she spotted a light turned on. Baseball still in hand, she slowly gets up from her bed and she walks over to the window.

"Fuck."

His body jolts up at the sudden thud on his stomach. Tossing his notes to the side, his eyes quickly scan the room from left to right in search of the source of what made him jump up in the first place. His brows knit together in a deep frown when he spots the baseball on the edge of his bed.

Narrowing his gaze in on the foreign object, he shifts over the duvet and lifts up the baseball. He turns it around in his hand, recognising the brand in that moment he realises it's the one he'd once given to Donna. Lips curling up in a small smile, he turns his head to look to the left. Noticing her standing in front of her window, he tosses the ball back on his bed and gets up himself.

Letting her hands rest on the windowsill, Donna bites down on her lip trying to stop herself from laughing as she watches his dazed face turn into one of recognition. It's only when he gets up and moves to his own window that she notices his bare chest, making her swallow thickly. Feeling a blush creep up on her cheeks she glances down at the garages. She lets out a breath and tells herself to get a grip. When she looks back up she sees he has mirrored her position, a confused expression back now back on his face.

"Want to watch a movie?" She blurts out the question, suddenly realising she had no real answer for his unspoken question. No excuse for having thrown that baseball through his open window. She ends the request with a bright smile, her eyes now searching his as she waits for his answer.

He looks back up in surprise, standing tall as he takes in her question. "Uhm," he mumbles, hand now tapping against the window frame. "Yeah sure," he answers at last. Turning around first, he fishes his black t-shirt from his bed. Pulling it over his head, he puts it on and makes his way back to the window to climb out of it and onto the garages. Watching her open the window further, he stalls just outside. "Isn't that mine?" he questions with a nod of his head in the direction of the sweater she is wearing.

She looks down at the blue piece of clothing, her mouth left agape for a moment while she searches for an answer. Eventually settling on an, "it's mine now." The line delivered with a shrug, she steps aside and opens her window further. "You coming inside or what?"

He snickers once, shakes his head but instead of answering he just does as he's told. Motioning for her to step inside even further, he climbs over the windowsill and steps into her room, pushing the window shut behind him. He finds himself standing there for a moment, unsure of what to say or what to do.

Almost awkwardly scraping his feet over the carpet on his spot, he watches her move through her bedroom. Burying his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants he lets out a breath only to pull his hands back out of his pockets again, this time he crosses his arms in front of his chest. Scraping his throat now, the gesture just a little bit too loud to go unnoticed to her.

The redhead turns on her television and reaches for the remote, now looking at him from over her shoulder. She keeps her gaze fixed on him as she rounds her own bed, sitting down near the bedhead. She watches him still standing there next to her desk and she gives him a quizzical look. "Well," she reasons tapping the mattress next to her. "Get on my bed already."

He snaps out of his thoughts then, does as she tells him once more. He feels that anything but doing that would make something that was so normal to them mere weeks ago even more awkward now. His knee hitting the mattress, he turns around until his back lands against the bedhead just like she's sitting. He can't help but speak though, a joke. Just like she had done the other day, right after their other hug and he feels like it's the only way to come across as if everything is fine. "That's what she said."

She bobs her head to the right, shares a look with him that makes both of them laugh. "We should rewatch The Office," she tells him after their laughter subsides again.

"We watched it all last year." His objection resulting in a mere shrug on her part, he rolls his eyes in return. Adjusting the pillow in his back before he returns to sit in his former position, another snicker leaving his lips that fills the silence a couple of seconds later.

Remote left in her hand, she stalls her movement and she turns to look at him again. Head tilting just a little further as she studies her best friend. "What?"

"Nothing," he answers in a beat. He shakes his head slowly trying to find the words to answer, to cover up what it really was what he had been thinking. "I –"

She crooks her head again, pulls up her knee and lets her elbow rest on it as she narrows her gaze in om him. Not sure she wants to know but she can't stop her silent question being asked.

He swallows once, looks ahead for a moment and curses himself for snickering just now. For even letting his mind drift off to that. "I –" he starts, a somewhat nervous chuckle follows and he can only hope it didn't come across as that. "It's stupid," he adds now. "I was just thinking about what Mitchel said."

He can hear her breath falter in the brief pause that follows and he realises he might as well say it. Because saying it means it doesn't hold any special meaning. It's a 180 from his usual behaviour of ignoring but he said this much so the only way to cover his ass is to follow through.

"That this would be a date," he finishes his sentence and only turns to look at her from the corner of his eye after that. He catches the way her eyes widen just a little bit, realises that she doesn't have an answer ready and he finds himself answering for her then. Using the words she had said the last time. "But that would be weird."

"Highly illogical," she adds so quickly she doesn't notice how he keeps using her own words. "Cause then we would have been on countless of dates," she continues, using the same reasoning as before, hoping that putting it out there once more will make her feel a little bit more at ease.

"And we haven't," he answers in agreement. Continues reasoning to cover his own original remark. "Why would this be a date if those other times weren't a date"

"My point." She nods in return before stating it one more time. "Not a date."

"Not a date," he repeats slowly, swallowing the sudden lump that appeared in his throat away.

She bites down on her bottom lip, can't say she's surprised for him agreeing with her or her with him but at the same time it still leaves her feeling uneasy. The entire conversation a topic they never even considered and now seemingly a returning theme either way. She redirects her gaze from him to the television on the wall and swallows once.

Her mind mulling over this entire situation, she can't convincingly tell herself this should be the end of their conversation neither how it should be continued. A soft, almost nervous chuckle escapes her at her next thought; one she pronounces as soon as it comes. "Unless something different would happen that would make this a date."

He feels his throat turn dry at her words, already regrets bringing up what she once told him about Mitchell. Ever since she hugged him at his father's birthday things had been confusing enough and this didn't make it easier in any shape way or form, let alone that she hugged him again a couple of hours ago.

Closing his eyes he can still feel her touch burning his skin but he also remembers how she once told him the idea of them was weird. Highly illogical just seconds ago, how this wouldn't be different from all the other times before and yet.

His thoughts running a hundred miles an hour, wondering what she could consider different enough for that to change and he glances at her from the corner of his eye. Swallowing once more when he notices her attention is on the television, probably already forgotten her own words. "But there won't -"

"Exactly."

He forgets how to breathe for a moment, pressing his lips shut at the answer he knew was coming but didn't want hear her say regardless. "So – Are you going to hit play or?" he mumbles when he finds his voice again, changing the subject altogether. He glances back at the screen, realising in that moment she never told him which movie. "What are we even watching?"

She turns to look at him, a knowing grin spreading over her face as she raises her hand and gives him the Vulcan Hand sign.

"Star Trek."

She nods with a pleased smile, hits play and voices her thought on Marcus' costume from a few days ago once more.

He can only chuckle at her arguments, gaze fixated on her as the intro to the movie both have seen umpteenth of times flashes on the big screen. It's only when he finally turns to look at the television that she hits the pause button and his confused gaze returns to the redhead in a beat. His brows only knitting together further when she drops the remote and crawls to the edge of the bed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm hungry," she states simply, rising to her feet. She turns to look at him over her shoulder. "Let's get some snacks."

 _._

Four steps behind, he follows her back up the stairs, a cup of coke in either hand while she carries the bowl of popcorn. A laugh escapes him when she continues the quotes they started off in the kitchen and he glances up now. His gaze slowly trailing over her long legs clad in a pair of sleeping boxers, his sweater she had apparently now claimed as her own, and her auburn manes bound together in a messy bun. A small smile tugs on his lips and he wrinkles his nose once at the sudden appearance of a vanilla fragrance, not realising it was merely a memory. He shakes his head and takes another step, his attention shifting to his sweatpants. "Aren't you cold?"

She stalls on the landing at the top of the stairs, she looks over her shoulder down at him. "Huh?"

Suddenly finding it hard to formulate a sentence, he merely bobs his head in the direction of her bare legs.

She follows his line of sight with her own gaze, ends up looking down at her legs. Realising in that moment it was indeed a bit chilly for just some shorts. "A bit," she admits in a whisper before she walks back to her room.

Dropping the plastic bowl in the middle of the bed, she pulls the comforter aside and slides into the bed. "Well that's where blankets are for," she smirks, stretching her arm to take the cup from his hand, she pulls the blanket aside on his side of the bed too, her head tilted to the side. "If I'm cold, you must be freezing, wuss."

He rolls his eyes, takes a sip of his drink and rounds the bed to the side she just pulled the blanket away from. He places his glass on the nightstand and sits back down on the spot he sat before, feet sliding under the covers this time. "I'm not a wuss."

She reaches for the remote once more and challenges his statement with a look.

"In my defence," he objects in a beat, pointing at her now with his hand. "That is _my_ sweater."

Instead of answering she hits the play button on the remote for the second time that night, the silence in the room soon being covered by the sound of the movie. She redirects her gaze from the screen to her best friend yet again, watches him for a moment while he watches the movie. She catches the way his lip move as he silently quotes along but she can still hear every line being delivered by his voice. Before she gets the chance to look at the movie, she speaks again. "How did Marcus take it?"

"What?" he mumbles unsure, focusing on her now instead of the movie. He wonders why she brought up his brother but he already sees the answer to his own question in her eyes. "You mean -"

She nods. "I know he never really talked about it but…"

"He knew," Harvey answers truthfully, slowly bobbing his head up and down as he thinks back to the conversation earlier that week and he chuckles then. "He also said he was long over her already."

She smiles softly, doesn't have it in her to tell him that was a lie. "Just don't tease him about it, okay."

Quirking an eyebrow he questions her comment with a stern look. "He's my brother, it's kind of my job to – Fine," he gives in, pressing his lips together. "God, you're no fun."

"What," she inquires, giving him a quizzical look in return. "Yes, I'm looking out for him okay? He's like the younger brother I never had."

He smiles and acknowledges her words with a nod, it very much descriptive of their relationship. He can't help but wonder about their own. "What does that make me?"

She looks away, her eyes closing at his words. "I only ever wanted one sibling," she answers after a moment. A soft smile now gracing her lips. "You," she continues, turning to look at him. "You are my best friend. Now, are you going to pass the popcorn or what?"

He bites down on the inside of his cheek. He doesn't comment on the way she changed the subject but he leans forward and reaches for the bowl on the middle of the bed. Pulling it down to the spot in between them.

.

Popping three pieces of popcorn into her mouth, she licks the salt from her fingers and draws her bottom lip between her teeth when another crave for the salty snack overcomes her again. When she notices her hand having subconsciously moved to the bowl yet again, she lifts it up and drops it on his lap. "Keep this away from me."

He flinches a little, hands automatically falling around the bowl as he looks at her. Pressing his lips into a thin line he nods once and redirects his gaze back to the television and focuses on their favourite movie.

A few minutes later he spots her arm move again from the corner of his eye, seemingly frozen in place he observes the way her hand moves closer, reaches inside for the salty snack. His breath hitching in the exact moment she grabs another hand of popcorn from the bowl on his lap.

Unable to speak, move or look away he watches her. The way her gaze is on the screen now, how her hand seemingly repeats the move once more without much thought while his heartrate is rapidly increasing.

The cracking sound of the redhead eating the popcorn is what breaks him out of his daze a few seconds later, he swallows thickly and shifts over the duvet to adjust his seating. This time he keeps his stare firmly locked on her and when he spots the way her hand lifts again he picks up the bowl. Moving it out of her reach, he blocks her hand with his left elbow.

"What?" she fires back in a beat, her head tilting to the right.

"You said keep it away." He narrows his gaze in on her.

She crooks her head to the other side, challenging her own words he recited right back to her.

"Your rule not mine," he replied, lifting the bowl and stretching his arm out to the right.

She pouts now, giving him a pleading look but it still results in him shaking his head. "Harvey."

His lips twitch into a smile at the way she says his name. "Donna," he parrots with the same teasing, near singing tone.

She sighs then, fakes annoyance but keeps her gaze locked with his. Neither able to not smile.

"I thought you didn't want it," he states again, keeping the bowl out of her grasp when she already stretches her own arm.

"But I do," she reasons, moving closer. His gaze meeting hers again, both challenging but neither backing down. She stretches her arm just a bit further, a laugh escaping him when she still comes up short.

"Okay," she breathes, shifting a bit on her spot. She drops her right hand on his chest for support, lifting her frame a little from the duvet. Her body now half leaning over his as she tries to reach for the popcorn.

Swallowing thickly at the sudden pressure and accompanied warmth radiating from her hand, his breath hitches as she leans half over him. It's a miracle he's still breathing let alone being able to continue to hold up on his end of the task she gave him. Keeping the bowl of popcorn away from her, he pronounces another rejection along with a shake of his head.

"Geez," she sighs, letting herself fall back on her bed but closer to him this time around. Her shoulder bumping into his when she crosses her arms in front of her chest in defence. "You're no fun."

He exhales deeply but the fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach remains at her close proximity. Biting down on his bottom lip he briefly considers his options and a possible witty comeback but when he comes up short on either, he merely gives in to what she wanted all along. Bringing the big plastic bowl back to the middle, he now places it on her lap. A small smile spread over his face when she turns to look at him again. "There you go."

With a big smile, she mouths a thank you in return and redirects her gaze on the movie once more as she starts eating again.

Harvey chuckles softly to himself, still more than flustered from the earlier moment. The hug from that afternoon not forgotten either. Both things making him lost in thought once more until he feels a weight slowly and softly land on his shoulder.

Keeping in place, he tilts his head ever so slightly to the left. He looks at the way her head leans on his shoulder as her attention is still directed on the movie. He watches her watch the movie, noticing her eyes drifting shut after a minute and small smile tugs on his lips.

.

.

She stirs a little in her sleep, a warm presence preventing her from rolling over and even in her sleepy state a look of confusion washes over her face. It's a familiar, yet foreign for her surroundings, smell that rouses her from her sleep and she groans softly when her mind connects it to her best friend.

A content smile curls on her lips at that thought but when her mind catches up on the events from last night her eyes flicker open in a beat. Her room is dark but with the curtains left open she can just make out the silhouettes in her room, the clock on the wall near the window reading six over three and with that the contour of him.

She lies frozen in place, suddenly overwhelmed and hyperaware of her every move. How her head is still on his shoulder and how her left arm has found its way to his chest. She swallows thickly, an apology on the tip of her tongue. She swallows it in when she hears his breathing. Slow and steady, indicating he's clearly still asleep and its rhythm has an oddly calming effect on her.

Still unsure of what to do, how after everything, after telling herself over and over again that there was nothing going on between them, she got herself in this situation. She can already feel the tears starting to well into her eyes at the realisation that it's just her who's curled up to him when she feels the gentlest of squeezes on her hand.

Lifting her head from his chest by an inch she then sees it. The way his hand is folded around hers, holding the arm she had draped across him close to his chest. A content smile gracing her lips, she isn't sure why but for once she doesn't think about the consequences or what will happen net.

Tired of being the planner, the responsible one and mostly just tired in general but when another yawn escapes her, she gives in and lays her head back on its previous spot on his shoulder. Her eyes drifting shut once more, she falls back into a peaceful sleep.

.

He yawns once, the slightest shift of his face causing a ticklish feeling over his cheek. His nose twitching twice but the source remains and all that comes to his senses now is the familiar smell of vanilla.

A soft smile tugging on his lips when the scent alone makes the last seconds of his dream about the redhead before his waking mind starts connecting the dots. Quickly prying one eye open, the first thing he sees with the sunlight just starting to peek through the windows is a flash of orange.

The colour bringing him a sense of warmth so strong he can feel it and it near instantly makes him close his eyes again, wanting to fall back asleep until he senses it. The warm body wrapped against his own and both of his eyes widen this time around. Now clearly seeing that the flash of orange wasn't just the sunlight but her hair.

Her hair so close, the sight of it filling his entire view. Swallowing thickly he remains on his spot, mind already running a hundred miles an hour at dawn as he goes over his options. The first being really taking in his surroundings and he notices then that the warmth he felt wrapped around him was actually him holding on to her.

His nose buried in the back of her hair. His arm wrapped around her in his dark blue sweater-clad stomach and there's no other way to describe it as his brain keeps screaming the same thing at him over and over again. He had been spooning his best friend in his sleep.

He.

All by himself.

The arm wrapped around her not held in place or locked by hers and he swallows at the realisation.

That being so overwhelming the only solution that crosses his mind is to flight. Trying not to wake her, he quickly tries to lift his arm from around her waist. His movement just not careful enough as it causes her to stir in her sleep. Her feet brushing past his, her frame pressing against his front as she stretches.

A current runs down his spine and his eyes widen in a beat as his breathing falters. Turning to the right, he rolls over his back until he sits down on the edge of the bed. Elbows leaning on his knees, his head hanging low he scolds himself for getting into this situation. Because one isn't supposed to fall asleep in the arms of your best friend and one certainly isn't supposed to wake up like this if you're just friends.

He lets out a deep sigh. "Ooh shit."


End file.
